The Slumbering Malandro
by stroodlex
Summary: With the reawakening of Fang and Vanille and the mystery surrounding their reappearance, a looming threat is not what it appears to be.
1. Chapter 1

Slightly AU. Eventual Flight, and major spoilers. Hope you enjoy it, R&R :)

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><p>It had been two years…<p>

Lightning brought the damp wash cloth to her face, washing away the dirt and grime of a hard day's work. She regarded herself in the mirror and frowned, realizing that a simple rinse and change of clothes would not cleanse the stench of rot that had seeped into her pores.

She sighed ruefully. Why was it every time she went with Snow's party, she found herself unwittingly thrown into a mess, or in this case, a nest of Wyvern hatchlings whose mother just happened to be regurgitating some tasty bits of whatever carcass she found?

The little adventure happened when their party had been scouting for a good place to construct another watch tower near New Bodhum. Though Gran Pulse offered miles of beautiful vegetation and flat terrain, erecting a watch tower would help alert the denizens if any hungry or ornery wild life wandered too close.

It had been two years since the near destruction of Cocoon. Two years since the destruction of Orphan and the near sacrifice of an entire civilization with the hopes of reuniting the fal'Cie with their maker. The citizens of Cocoon were evacuated; without Orphan and Eden to sustain Cocoon, the artificial city quickly became inhospitable. Lightning, Snow, Hope and Sazh became instrumental with the evacuation proceedings, working closely with PSICOM and the Guardian Corps to ensure a safe, if not entirely seamless, migration into the harsh wildlife of Gran Pulse.

Lightning stepped back from the sink as she heard someone rapping on the bathroom door.

"Lightning?"

She rolled her eyes, "What?"

"Are you done in there? Serah won't even let me near her; she says I smell like a sewer."

"Good. I think I'll spend the rest of the night in here."

She allowed herself a small grin, though she wasn't really kidding. Snow grew on her over the last couple of years, like mold. That's exactly what she told Serah the other night. Yes, she appreciated his loyalty and devotion to Serah; well it was more than appreciated - she demanded it but that didn't mean she ceased believing he was an idiot. He was a well intentioned idiot, but an idiot nonetheless.

"Oh come on, Sis! You know today was not my fau– "

"Don't call me Sis."

Throwing the soiled wash cloth into the hamper, she opened the bathroom door and was greeted by the aroma of dinner wafting throughout the house. Her stomach let out a growl, a grim reminder that she hadn't eaten in several hours.

Snow smirked at the sound, "Dinner is almost ready. Sazh and Hope are on their way over."

Lightning nodded and stepped through the hallway, hearing the front door open to the sound of Sazh's voice.

"Oh yeah, that smells good! Not a minute too late and I'm starving! I'm surprised too, after seeing that Wyvern –"

"No! Stop Sazh! I don't need to hear the story again; I can still smell it on you." Hope quipped, stepping through the foyer and nodding at Lightning.

Over the last two years, Hope had a growth spurt that almost put him head to head with Lightning. Despite the hardships he endured over the last two years, he had managed to maintain his boyish innocence. He trained daily with Snow in close combat and martial arts and had developed a swiftness in his lanky form that made Lightning proud.

"Dinner's ready! Get in here!" Serah hollered. Everyone rushed into the dining room, Snow and Sazh fighting to get through the narrow doorway, their shoulders colliding.

"Move it old man, you're in my way!" Snow exclaimed as he continued to try and squeeze his massive shoulders through both Sazh and the doorway.

"No, you're in my way and you're going to eat all the food again and that ain't happening."

"Guys, relax. I made sure that there was enough food this time so please, no fighting or no food, your choice." Serah set the steaming casserole dish on the table and promptly placed her hands on her hips.

A chorus of sighs resounded around the room as everyone ambled in, properly chastised.

Lightning raised her eyebrows at her sister, showing her approval at Serah's diplomatic yet effective method of getting the hungry hounds under control.

Two years and everything had changed around them yet it really hadn't. She observed Snow wolfing down his dinner like it was his last. Serah shaking her had at him in amazement. Sazh and Hope bickering about Chocobos and which rider would win the next race and…that was it. Something was missing. Lightning looked down at her food, idly playing with the noodles on her plate. Something was missing wasn't it? She glanced around the table, taking in the jovial scene and fondly listening to her adopted family bicker. Fate brought them all together the first time and though she wasn't a woman of emotional and sappy outbursts, she did acknowledge that they all had a magic together that enabled them to turn the tides of destiny and survive the insurmountable odds. Her eyes settled on two empty seats at the far end of the table. A pang of sorrow, like a derailed train, burst through her chest as she thought of the missing pieces of her almost-complete family. Lightning looked up from her reverie and noticed Serah's eyes on her, compassion and understanding shimmering in their blue depths.

"I hear there's a Behemoth wandering around by the ravine next to town." Serah stated, hoping to snap Lightning out of her solemn state of mind.

"Ah yeah, PSICOM can handle that one. I've had enough of those damn things." Sazh muttered, "They're more thick-headed than Snow over here."

Snow laughed, "C'mon old man, or is your age finally catching up to you?"

"That's fine, he can sit at home counting his grey hairs while we have all the fun." Hope teased, noting the smirk on Lightning's lips.

"Hey now, I don't have any grey hairs!"

"Yet." Lightning pointedly finished.

"Fine. Fine. Count me in. Those PSICOM guys wouldn't be able to handle it anyway."

After dinner, the group retired to the living room to continue their ritual. Lightning unsheathed her gunblade, polishing and cleaning it, an action that soothed and comforted her. Serah went back into the kitchen to prepare some tea from tea leaves she hand picked outside of town. She and Snow often went scouring through the heavy brush in the denser parts of Gran Pulse looking for exotic spices and herbs to add to her growing palette of Gran Pulsian delicacies. Usually when the group retired to the living room, melancholy and an inkling for profound thought and universal truths somehow became the topics of conversation.

"Do you think they'll ever wake up?" Hope looked directly at Lightning, praying for optimism.

She sighed, "I don't know. They completed their focus. I don't see how they could. Any remaining fal'Cie are not a threat and just about everyone's moved to Gran Pulse. Why would they wake up? How would they wake up?"

"There's gotta be a way though, right? I mean, we defied the odds once before, we couldn't' do it again?" he pressed on.

"It's not that easy kid, couldn't even begin to tell you where to start lookin'." Sazh replied, borrowing one of Lightning's polishing cloths, he began to buff his pistols. He silently thanked Fang and Vanille hoping they heard him, wherever they were, for returning his son to him. A silent thank you he had uttered every day for the last two years.

"We can't just give up that easy!" Snow smacked his massive fist on the wooden table, belaying his frustration, "They belong here, with us and we owe it to them to find a way."

Lightning gritted her teeth, her hackles on the rise. She couldn't place her anger and old habits die hard. It was easier to be angry at Snow than to allow herself to feel any swell of hope from a task that seemed so futile.

"And how should we do that?" she countered, "How are we supposed to wake them up? We don't even have our powers anymore. No more brands, no more magic, no more Eidolons. So what's your plan?"

Snow sighed, rubbing his forehead as if to stave off a migraine, something he found himself doing whenever the topic of Fang and Vanille surfaced. He didn't understand why she protested with such vehemence when he knew that she wanted them back just as much as the others.

"We've done this dance before, Lightning, when it was Serah - and look how great that turned out."

"Yeah and that took a lot of angry fal'Cie, Ragnarok, and two l'Cie. It was nothing short of a miracle, so good luck with that." Lightning sheathed her gunblade, her eyes cold and her mouth a grim line. "Sazh, Hope, I'll see you both tomorrow morning to scout the area for that Behemoth, good night."

They stood up, sensing their evening had come to an end and not wanting to be caught between the two fighters. As she passed Snow she sighed softly, reigning in her frustration, "If there was a way to wake them, I would do it. You know I would." she whispered, trying to mask the emotion in her voice.

Snow turned to her, his blue eyes solemn, "I know, Sis."

Lightning gave a curt nod, too exhausted to berate him for calling her that again, and climbed up stairs where she could crawl into bed and recover from an exhausting day.

She tossed and turned, hours later, burying her face into her pillow, willing sleep to take her away. Frustrated, she sat up and glanced at the clock on her bedside table noting that it was 3:45am. Well, she managed to sleep for a few hours, a small luxury she rarely afforded herself. Sitting up, she ran her hands through her strawberry blonde hair and stepped onto the balcony outside her bedroom. Inhaling deeply, she savored the smell of fresh air and nature – something they didn't really have back on Cocoon. The atmosphere on Cocoon was generated and maintained by a series of complex mechanical systems which enabled them to breathe clean and fresh air despite the factories, traffic, and dense populace that surrounded everyone. There was just something different, something more pure about being able to smell the raw and uncorrupted air around her without a mask of fal'Cie controlling every single facet of Cocoon life.

Her eyes fell on the massive pillar underneath Cocoon. Her thoughts went back to the evacuations and the rebuilding they all found themselves inundated with as soon as the hysteria settled. Engineers and scientists salvaged as much technology as they could, hoping to replicate the exact standard of living they all enjoyed and took for granted in the city. PSICOM and the Guardian Corps were lacking leadership, their soldiers unprepared to be thrust into battle with some of Pulse's more predatory creatures. With growing dismay, the city turned to the four of them to guide the new world through its infantile stages. Two years into the fray, New Bodhum had come very, very far – Lightning glanced at the row of houses next to hers with a proud nod and looked further down to the pier, enjoying the faint sound of waves splashing on the shore.

She stepped inside, noticing the sun was rising. Snow and Serah would soon be awake. Sazh and Hope would arrive shortly, no doubt expecting breakfast of some kind. As soon as those two realized her sister was a fantastic cook, they spent just about every night and morning dining at Lightning's house.

"_What about you, Lightning? Can you cook?" _Hope had inquired one morning while they were all enjoying the eggs Florentine Serah had prepared.

"_Don't push it kid, you probably won't catch her dead in an apron."_ Sazh dryly noted, earning a well deserved snort from Lightning. She had taught herself how to cook years before, shortly after her mother died, and she had the same culinary gift her sister did. No one but Serah and Snow knew that, a secret she made him promise to keep unless he one day decided he no longer valued life.

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><p>The midday sun glared angrily across the sky, the stifling heat making minutes tick by like hours.<p>

"You'd think we'd have seen some kind of track marks by now." Lightning muttered, shielding her eyes from the sun. They had been walking along the ravine for a few hours, searching for an elusive Behemoth that that had given some of the other patrolling parties in PSICOM a rather hard time.

"Maybe he just left – found some other area to terrorize." Hope sat on a nearby rock, scanning the surrounding areas.

"No, he has to be around here somewhere, maybe further along the bank in one of the caves." Lightning began to walk forward again, shaking her head at Sazh who had plopped down next to Hope, grumbling about being too old for all this hiking.

"You can both rest here for the time being. Snow and I will check out those caves over there" she pointed further down the bank, "and you can catch up after you've had your break."

"Ah, thank you, thank you thank you! If you find him just yell, we'll come running. Just need to rest for a few." Sazh took out his canteen and handed it to Hope, "Go on kid, fill it up."

Lightning and Snow turned around, trekking through the rocky ground and into the caves ahead.

"He has to be in here, we've covered almost every inch of this whole place." Snow punched his palm, readying himself for a fight. They stopped just short of the largest cave, lighting a torch from Lightning's sack.

"This is the biggest one. If he's hiding in a cave, it will be this one. Get ready." Lightning unsheathed her gunblade, satisfied with the way it gleamed in the sun. Crouching down, she and Snow entered into the cave, the torch giving an ominous glow as the lights glimmered off the cave walls.

Their footsteps echoed as they silently trekked further. The air around them stilled and an eerie silence deafened them. Lightning gripped her gunblade tighter as Snow put his foot forward, resting his weight on his toes, ready to attack. A low rumbling shook the cave walls as heavy steps padded through the dirt. Canines grinding and saliva dripping, the Behemoth emerged, standing on his hind legs.

Lightning immediately launched herself, brandishing her blade as she sliced through the air, quickly landing a blow to his stomach. She flipped back, aiming for his neck and firing a shot. Snow moved in, landing a series of swift and devastating punches to his side. The Behemoth recovered, its massive limbs catching Snow and throwing him against the side wall. The angry beast charged at Lightning and with skill borne of a natural killer, she somersaulted onto his back, thrusting her blade into his neck over and over. The Behemoth bellowed, arms flailing trying to dismount her. Snow recovered from his backhand, unleashing a torrent of punches, his vest granting him the strength to crack several of the beast's ribs.

Lightning skidded off the side of the Behemoth, hearing the rapid footsteps of Hope and Sazh behind her. The Behemoth charged at her again, its massive claws like poisonous daggers aching to bury themselves in her flesh. What transpired next took mere seconds but she felt like it was hours. Lightning prepared to dodge the attack when a fierce pain reverberated inside her head. A white flash of light behind her cerulean eyes blinded her and she staggered, dropping her gunblade.

"Lightning!" Snow yelled.

"_Are you ready?" A low voice whispered in her mind. Lightning snapped her head up and fell backwards. She glanced around, her breath ragged, and realized she was no longer in the cave, and with a cold shudder, she knew she wasn't anywhere near Gran Pulse. She was on a field, a barren wasteland that stretched over the horizon in all directions. She was cold, she was hot, she had ample amounts of air yet could not breathe. She looked up at the sky where there was no sky but a dim grayness that seemed to envelope itself around everything._

"_Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" _

_She gasped as a painfully familiar voice reached her ears, coming from behind. She turned around slowly, refusing to believe - yet there she was. Fang, just like she remembered. Dark hair with red highlights flowing down the ebony locks. Emerald eyes peered into hers with that familiar playful twinkle. Her blue sari somehow managing to ripple in this windless desert. _

_Lightning swallowed thickly, "Fang?"_

"_Who did you expect, Sunshine?"_

"_Where's Vanille? What are you doing here?" Lightning glanced around and took a cautious step forward._

"_She's off looking for flowers, poor thing. She can't stand it here. I guess we're preparing again, aren't we?" Fang raised her eyebrows, grinning at Lightning._

"_Preparing for what?" Lightning furrowed her brow, cold chills running up and down her spine._

"_You'll see, at least that's what I keep hearing. You have to go back now and it's going to hurt, but don't you worry. We'll be seeing each other soon and when we do, Vanille will patch you right up."_

_Fang started to fade out of Lightning's view. The pink haired soldier ran forward, hands outstretched, "Wait!" Lightning stumbled as her vision narrowed and nausea forced her to her knees. The gray world started to tumble and turn, the pain was back and she fainted._

"Lightning!" She heard Snow call out, trying to reach her in time. She blinked, disorientated, dimly noting her gunblade on the ground next to her. Looking up she saw the Behemoth looming over her and then its claws were sinking into her shoulder, tearing ligaments and nerves. Sharp, stained teeth perilously close to her throat, she cried out in pain, thrashing against sinews of muscle, the smell of blood making her dizzy.

Shots rang out behind her, a turret of bullets firing in succession, nailing the Behemoth in the head. The beast let go, howling in pain as Sazh continued to fire at his head. The Behemoth finally staggered once more before falling over, grunting and groaning as death finally took pity upon him.

"Hope! Get her out of here!" Snow frantically yelled. Hope nodded, his command mask set in place as he easily picked her up, carrying her out of the cave. Snow didn't understand what just happened. They were winning and suddenly she just stopped, like she was spooked. He angrily punched the cave wall, denting it as rock crumbled around his fist. It was unlike her to get spooked, she probably didn't even comprehend such a thing. She was a veteran warrior – the best they had. No, something else happened, but what?

"Come on, call into headquarters, we need to get her to medical." Sazh holstered his gun and picked up Lightning's fallen gunblade, eyeing the blood on the ground and knowing that a good portion of it belonged to his friend.

They ran out of the cave, breaking into a sprint to catch up with Hope.

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

Lightning slowly opened her eyes, squinting until they adjusted to the obnoxiously bright light that hung from the ceiling above her bed. No, that wasn't right. This was not her bed. _Where am I?_ She was wearing a hospital gown with gauze wrapped around her injured shoulder and upper arm. The gauze stretched to her left underarm, effectively wrapping most of her torso. She slowly began to remember the incident in the cave and attempted to lift her right shoulder.

She hissed in pain, that was a bad idea. She was definitely irked, what the hell happened? She remembered going into the cave, fighting the Behemoth and that was it. Lightning heard footsteps walking down the hall and two voices talking softly. A moment later, Snow and Serah walked into her room.

"You're awake!" Serah rushed over to the bed and threw her arms around Lightning's neck, being mindful of her bandaged shoulder, "How are you feeling?"

"Horrible. What happened? Is anyone else hurt?" Lightning noticed the bags under Serah's eyes and felt guilty. She hated worrying Serah; she was supposed to protect her.

"What? You don't remember getting mauled by that Behemoth like a piece of steak?" Snow ran his hand through his blonde hair, "Good thing Sazh came by when he did, I was trying my hardest to get him off you bu-"

Lightning rolled her eyes, "No kidding," she interrupted, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "I was mauled by a Behemoth?"

Serah sighed, eyeing her sister and her fiancé with a little more than trepidation. She often found herself wishing she were a bit bigger and stronger so she could actually instill some fear in them when she told them to get along or else.

"Snow was really worried about you. We all were, Claire." at the mention of her real name, coming out of her sister's mouth like a plea, Lightning relaxed, counted back from ten and nodded in apology.

"I'm sorry I worried you. I'm a bit grumpy," she turned to glare at Snow, "being compared to a piece of steak will do that to you."

"Sorry, Si-"

"Don't. Call. Me. That." She ground out, "So, what happened in there? I don't remember much."

"Well, we were fighting the Behemoth, doing pretty damn well, and you just froze. You dropped your blade and just stood there."

Lightning blinked, taken aback. She looked down at her hands, in disbelief. It must have shown on her face.

"You really don't remember?" Serah asked softly.

"No, I don't."

"Well, the Behemoth ending up raking your shoulder," he swallowed, "and got you pretty bad. Sazh fired a round into its head, and Hope carried you to the clinic."

Lightning closed her eyes for a moment, "Is he okay?" Hope saw her as an older sister and she knew that having to carry her, blood probably gushing out of her shoulder, might have unnerved him.

"He's was pretty shaken up, but he's okay. He's with LeBreau, helping her out at the bar."

"He'll feel better when he knows you're awake." Serah added.

Lightning nodded, looking around the room. She took in the various medical supplies and machines, thankful that the doctors of New Bodhum were adept at their chosen professions.

"Ah, Lieutenant Farron, you're awake. Splendid."

Lightning looked up, seeing a short man with gray hair, wearing a medical robe walk in, a clipboard in his hand. She did not recognize him, but then again, she rarely ever had to go to the clinic.

"I'm Doctor Slyvis, Chief Medical Officer, how are you feeling?"

Snow and Serah stepped back, motioning to Lightning that they would wait outside.

"I'm fine. Can I leave?" She really hated hospitals.

"Well, let's take a look at your injury. We need to make sure your shoulder is not infected." He walked over to her bed, "May I?"

Lightning sat up, wincing when she jarred her shoulder too much. The doctor carefully began to wrap her bandage, exposing her chest. She stiffened and swiftly pulled her hospital gown back up; making sure her chest was covered, and allowed him to continue.

"It looks like it's going to be just fine. We were able to use dissolvable sutures on your wound to accelerate the healing but," he paused, his voice stern and his eyes narrowed, "you are going to have to take it very, very easy."

Lightning raised her eyebrows and Doctor Slyvis chuckled, "Your stubbornness precedes you, Ms. Farron. You can't go running into any battles any time soon."

"Hadn't planned on it." She muttered.

Lightning looked down at her shoulder, seeing her injury for the first time. Her skin looked slightly purple due to bruising and swelling. Five deep gashes ran up and down her deltoid, close to six inches in length. The sutures covered each gash, holding them closed; it reminded her of a doll that had its arm ripped off and patched back together.

"The Behemoth's claws managed to dig in deep enough to tear into your muscle and a few ligaments but we'll be sending you home with some pain killers." He turned around and jotted more notes on his clipboard, "If you take it easy, you'll be as good as new in a few weeks. Understood?"

"Yeah, thanks."

He began to wrap gauze around her shoulder and chest again. "You may leave whenever you're ready." He walked out the door, allowing Serah and Snow to reenter.

Lightning began to sit up, looking for her belongings, feeling a bit miserable. She needed a shower and ached all over, and more importantly, she needed to figure out why there was a huge blank in her memory. Dropping her gunblade and freezing in battle? Like some barely wet-behind-the-ears rookie who defecated himself in the heat of battle? No, that certainly wasn't who she was, something else happened and she was going to get to the bottom of it.

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><p>"Surprise!" Sazh walked in through the front door of the Farron residence, smiling brightly at Lightning who simply glared at him. It had been two whole days since the incident in the cave and the effects of not getting to lift, bend, stretch, jump, or punch Snow were starting to get to her.<p>

"You should smile more, brings out the pink in your hair." He was carrying a long, black rectangular box with a red ribbon wrapped around it.

"A gift!" Snow, who was sitting next to Lightning on the couch, jumped up, holding his massive hands over his heart, "Sazh, I don't know what to say…"

"You can shut up while I give this to Lightning." He noted dryly, handing her the box.

She gingerly opened the lid, a genuine smile crossing her features.

"There we go, that's what I like to see."

She took her gunblade out of the box, thankful to have it back in her hands, like an old friend.

"Thank you. I thought I was going to have to go back into that cave to get it."

Sazh nodded, sitting on the loveseat next to the couch and propping his boots on the table.

"So, you figure out what happened yet?"

Lightning shook her head, "Nope, it feels like it's on the tip of my tongue, but I can't remember, yet."

"I'm sure you will. Give it some more time. When's dinner?" Sazh looked around, hoping Serah heard him.

Lightning just shook her head.

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><p>Later that evening, after everyone went to bed, Lightning shook and trembled in her sleep, her eyes tightly shut and eyelids twitching while she had the most peculiar dream.<p>

"_How's the shoulder? Looks damn painful." Fang commented, sharpening her spear with a smooth, flat surfaced stone. _

"_Uh…it's inconvenient, if anything." Lightning replied, looking around. She walked over to Fang, sitting next to her on a large rock, tucking a strand of pink hair behind her ear._

_They sat in companionable silence; the only sound was the metal on the spearhead scratching against the stone. _

"_Hmm," Lightning looked around, noticing the gray hue covering the landscape, "What is this place?"_

"_Been askin' myself the same question, Sunshine. I think it's some kinda gateway, maybe." Fang put her spear down, and stood up._

"_Gateway? To what?"_

"_Hmmm. To me? Hell, I don't know."_

"_What?" _

_Fang sighed, placing her hand on her chin, "I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to be here." She glanced down at Lightning, studying her soft features, "but I'm glad you're here."_

_Lightning nodded, standing up slowly, "Why did you bring me here, Fang?" _

"_We're friends, Sunshine." Fang smirked, "If it was found out, we'd be in a heap of trouble."_

"_Is someone hurting you?" Lightning frowned, her protective instincts coming out in full force._

"_No, it doesn't hurt, you being here helps." Fang replied, choosing her next words carefully, "He's trying to take my soul, Claire."_

_Lightning blanched, visibly disturbed by her words, "We have to get out of here. Come with me, you and Vanille."_

_Fang looked up at the sky and a streak of lightning flashed through the endless gray, illuminating the vague world that surrounded them, "Its time." she whispered, taking Lightning's hand in her own, "Let's go."_

Lightning woke up, gasping, staring around her dark bedroom. She looked down at her hand, as if expecting to find someone holding it. Her shoulder was a dull, incessant throb; she must have been tossing and turning in her sleep. The moon shone dimly through her balcony, lightning running rampant across the sky, beckoning her. What transpired in the cave, the vision, the premonition came back to her, shocking her senses. Her dream was more than a dream, wasn't it? She ripped the bed sheets off her body and ran as fast as her shoulder would allow, through the darkened hallway into the other bedroom. She burst through the door, startling Snow and Serah.

"Lightning, wha-" Snow noticed her disheveled state, a wild look in her eye.

"We have to go to Cocoon, Fang and Vanille need us."

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><p>TBC...<p>

Read and Review :P


	3. Chapter 3

Sazh walked into Lightning's living room, acknowledging Snow, Serah and Hope. He could still hear the irritating ring of his phone, jolting him out of bed and Snow yelling at him to get his, '_geriatric ass over here, NOW'. _He sat down on the leather couch, grumbling, "It's 2:00 in the morning, what the hell is so damn urgent?"

Serah looked at him apologetically, "Sorry we woke you, but Lightning felt it was best to have everyone here right away." she explained, smacking Snow on the shoulder as he chuckled at Sazh's uncombed hair and the bags under his eyes. "She'll be down in a sec. How about some apple pie?"

Sazh perked up, "You got yourself a deal."

"Great! Snow, go get Sazh some pie, since you were pretty rude on the phone." Serah raised her eyebrows at Snow who looked at her in dismay.

Sazh laughed, "Yeah, my _geriatric_ ass is too old to move."

Snow groaned, getting up and walking into the kitchen to get some pie, hearing Hope laughing from the living room. He shortly returned, handing Sazh the plate, who grinned good-naturedly at him.

Hope eyed Snow apprehensively, "So, what do you think is going on?" he asked, hoping the answer had nothing to do with fal'Cie, l'Cie, or the likes. After carrying Lightning to the clinic, bleeding all over his chest, he really didn't need anymore excitement for awhile.

"Somethin' about Fang and Vanille." Snow shrugged, standing up and pacing around the room, "She had a dream about them I guess." He scratched his stubble, feeling on edge. _It certainly had to be more than just a dream_, he thought remembering how she burst into the room, demanding he call Sazh and Hope.

Footsteps could be heard descending from the staircase. A moment later, Lightning rounded the corner, determination in her stride. She felt the tension in the room as everyone waited patiently for her to speak.

"I remember what happened in the cave."

She recounted the events with vivid clarity and confidence, explaining the pain she had felt in her mind to the disquieting gray world she had found herself in, and that Fang was there waiting for her. They sat there in stunned silence, absorbing her recollection and no doubt finding it hard to swallow.

"So," Hope spoke up, "how is that possible? You had this whole conversation with Fang in some other world, that lasted several minutes and when you came back, only seconds had passed?"

Lightning shrugged her shoulders, "Sounds pretty insane, doesn't it?"

Sazh shook his head, "I've heard crazier things. What I'm more interested in is: what exactly was she talking about? Preparing for what?"

"I don't know, but there's more. I saw her again tonight, in the gray world. She said something was trying to take her soul." Lightning walked slowly around the room, noticing how upset the others had become. She didn't blame them; she was livid and ready to shed some blood.

Snow growled, "We need to help them. They need us, Lightning."

For once, she whole heartedly agreed, "I'm going to Cocoon tonight." she stated.

Sazh raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Tonight? You're serious?"

"I need to see them for myself. I think something is up."

"Are you sure you weren't just having a vivid dream? What do you expect to find by going to Cocoon?" Sazh tried to keep the disbelief out of his voice.

"I can't just ignore this. It was too real, you wouldn't understand. I know it sounds crazy but it was her and she was reaching out to me. I'm not going to abandon her." Lightning slowly took her arm sling off, stretching her shoulder gently, rotating it around the cuff, "None of you should feel obligated to go, but I felt you all deserved an explanation."

"Whoa, hang on," Sazh put his hands up, "I'm not letting you go alone. If you really think something is up, fine, you can count me in."

"Yeah, Light, we're a family remember? We do this together or we don't do it all." Hope added.

Lightning turned her attention on Snow, her eyes asking a silent question… "You should already know how I feel." he responded. Serah grabbed his hand a moment later, and smiled at both Snow and Lightning, asserting her support as well.

Lightning walked towards the window, staring up at Cocoon and the massive crystal tower it stood on.

"We're going to need some cognispeeders." Snow said, following Lightning's gaze.

"Those damn flying bikes? Where would we find some?" Sazh knew the moment the question left his mouth he was going to regret it.

Snow smirked, "PSICOM Headquarters."

Hope scratched his head, perplexed, "But they closed hours ago."

Lightning grinned, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a set of silver keys, "What's your point?"

"I am way too old for this."

* * *

><p>Lightning stopped in front of the military compound, waiting for the others to catch up.<p>

"Breaking into PSICOM, what the hell am I doing?" Sazh muttered to himself as he caught up to Lightning, slightly out of breath.

"Relax old man," Snow slapped him on the back, "live a little."

"Technically we're not breaking in, I have a key, remember?" Lightning jiggled the keys in front of Sazh's face, "We're going to walk in through the front door and borrow some bikes."

"Yeah, whatever, sure."

"I never realized how big this place was." Hope stated, observing the large compound.

The large brown building was as big as two blocks in all directions. It was surrounded by metal fences, stretching close to twenty-five feet high and barbed wire on each side. Most of PSICOM's affairs and technologies were kept under lock and key within the building; acting as a central hub for all of their activities. After the fall of Cocoon, the Guardian Corp and PSICOM decided to merge together and work in close collaboration towards a common goal. They needed all the manpower they could spare to keep the wildlife population under control and keep the civilians safe. There was a small division assigned to civil affairs but crime in New Bodhum wasn't a major issue at this point; most people were too busy rebuilding.

Lightning began walking toward the large, glass door and unlocked it, "Let's go."

The four of them quickly stepped inside, following Lightning as she led the way. The building was lit with emergency night lights, allowing them to easily navigate through the endless maze of hallways and rooms.

"This is one huge arsenal." Hope dryly noted as he stepped into a room filled with various types of guns, armor and other AMP technology.

"Don't be fooled, there's just as much paperwork to be done as there are weapons." Lightning replied disgustedly.

Snow grinned, "So that's why you keep turning down that promotion to Colonel, you don't want to get stuck shoveling paperwork around."

Lightning shrugged in response and led them behind the compound to a smaller building that was outside, "Okay. The cognispeeders should be behind that door right there." she pointed to a large garage door.

"How are we supposed to get in there?" Hope asked, walking towards the garage, not finding a way to open it.

Lightning and Snow walked forward and stopped in front of the garage. Bending down, they both hooked their fingers under the door.

"Ready?" Lightning asked

"Yup, on the count of three. One…two…three!"

They both pulled, tearing the garage door off its lower hinges, and lifting it to leave an opening they could crawl through.

"What? I thought you said we weren't going to break in!" Sazh exclaimed, his hands flying to his head.

Snow chuckled, "We'll bring them back, don't worry."

They crawled through the opening, observing the various cognispeeders and other vehicles that were parked. Lightning mounted one, turning it on and hovering in mid air. Sazh and Snow followed suit.

Hope walked over to Lightning, slightly embarrassed, "Ah…I never really got to learn how to ride one of these…"

She stretched her hand out, "Get on." He pivoted his hip, straddling the seat behind her.

"Let's go!" Lightning shouted over the hum of the engine. The three cognispeeders took off in full speed, flying out of the garage, into the night's sky, towards Cocoon.

* * *

><p>The cool night air became more noticeable as they gained altitude and flew over the small city. The homes that surrounded New Bodhum became smaller and smaller as Cocoon grew closer and closer. Crystals stretched around Cocoon, cradling it as a mother would her child, keeping it safe and afloat. It shimmered like a jewel, shades of blue reflecting the moon and giving it an almost ethereal beauty. They flew around the bottom of Cocoon, around the crystal, looking for somewhere to land.<p>

Lightning gripped the handle bars tightly, realizing she'd only ever studied the large crystal tower from afar. She didn't know what she expected to find once she landed but she held firm on the fact that it was better to be doing this than nothing at all.

"Over there!" she heard Hope yell into her ear. She looked down, noticing a large crystallized cave on the outer shell of Cocoon, its inside hollow. She signaled to Snow and Sazh, who were behind her, and turned into the formation, slowing her bike. She cautiously navigated to the entrance and dismounted. She studied the cave, seeing the crystals glisten as if they had a life of their own.

"Sure is something, isn't it?" Sazh remarked, marveling at the cave.

Hope stepped forward, running his hand over one of the shards, feeling a bit overwhelmed, "Think they're in there?"

"Only one way to find out." Lightning walked into the cave, firm resolve audible in her voice.

They traveled further into the crystal fortress, their steps echoing on the walls, their distorted reflections staring back at them. The path was smooth and perfect, as if someone or something had chipped away at the formation and created a tunnel.

Lightning grew more and more anxious as uncertainty plagued her thoughts. She halted and her heart clenched as her stormy blue eyes focused on a large crystal rock at the very end of the cave.

Snow bumped into Lightning, not realizing she had stopped moving. He grimaced, expecting to be called an idiot again but Lightning didn't say a word, "Lightning?" He tapped her on her shoulder and saw that she was staring at something at the far end of the cave.

"That's them, isn't it?" Snow sighed, shaking his head.

They all stepped forward, stopping at the base of the crystal, finally seeing, for the first time in two years, Fang and Vanille. Their hands were clasped tightly together, a peaceful expression on their faces, preserved for eternity; unchanging as the world continued to revolve and time ignored them.

Lightning closed her eyes, placing her hand on the crystal. It hardly seemed fair, saving the world and becoming encased in a crystal prison. She realized that a massive crystal pillar holding Cocoon represented everything they saved, but seeing her two friends locked in an eternal slumber inside a cold rock only screamed how much they had sacrificed.

"This is rough." Sazh said gruffly, trying to get his emotions under control, "Now what do we do?"

"I don't kn –"

A small crack echoed through the cave.

"Did you hear that?" Hope looked around, alarmed.

Lightning stepped back, her eyes narrowing.

A small tremor resonated through the cave, slightly shaking the walls. Bits and pieces of crystal tumbled on their heads.

"Not good, this is bad, real bad." Sazh turned to Lightning, "We have to get out of here."

"Wait!" Snow shouted, causing the other three to turn around.

Several smaller cracks appeared on the crystal rock that covered Fang and Vanille. Tiny cracks and splits ran up and down their crystal bed; crystallized particles that broke off turned to dust before they could fall the ground.

"What the hell…" Lightning observed the crystal continuing to break down, astonished. She was also aware of the cave continuing to rumble and fracture, and she was growing more and more nervous each second.

Large pieces of stone continued to fall off the crystal bed, quickly crumbling and dissolving. Soon, shoulders, hair and other various parts of flesh that belonged to Fang and Vanille were gradually exposed to the night air, causing everyone to gasp.

"Is this really happening?" Hope mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"It needs to happen faster. This cave is going to collapse soon." Sazh watched as the cave continued to develop cracks up and down its walls, each one growing bigger and bigger. The tremors began to intensify and cracks appeared beneath their feet, the entire cave becoming one large earthquake.

"They're waking up!" Snow exclaimed, watching the miracle unfold before him.

One single, thick fissure broke the crystal prison in half and a blinding white light blazed through the cave, illuminating the evening sky. The force throwing them on their backs, they held their hands up to their faces, trying to shield their eyes. When the light finally dimmed, they saw Fang and Vanille, standing before them, looking absolutely confounded.

Fang looked directly at Lightning, who was too stunned to move, "What the hell is going on?"

"Uh, guys? There's a cave collapsing around us…" Vanille trailed off, dodging a piece of crystal that nearly fell on her head.

"What are you people waiting for? An invitation? Move it!" Fang grabbed Sazh and Snow by their collars, hauling them to their feet.

Lightning snapped out of her bewilderment and quickly scrambled to her feet, "Run!" she yelled. The six of them dashed forward, dodging and evading the crumbling world around them, fighting their way to the entrance.

TBC...


	4. Chapter 4

The group of former l'Cie emerged from the cave, narrowly avoiding being squashed by the tumbling pieces of crystal.

"Hurry, pair up and get on a bike." Lightning instructed once they were outside the cave, "We need to get out of here."

The six of them quickly mounted the bikes and soared into the evening sky, leaving Cocoon long forgotten, the cave that held Fang and Vanille completely collapsed.

They descended onto a flat plain just outside of New Bodhum, promptly dismounting to ponder over recent events.

"You did this?" Fang asked, looking up in the general direction of Cocoon.

Lightning looked over, noticing Fang's eyes resting on her, realizing she was referring to everything they'd just been through. "Nope, that was just icing on the cake." She walked over to her bike, crossing her arms and leaning against it.

"Whatever it was can wait. You guys are awake!" Snow patted Fang on the back, "That alone is worth celebrating."

"I agree. I'm glad you're all here." Vanille smiled, earning her a hug from Hope.

"I'll be damned," Sazh grinned at both Fang and Vanille, "Lightning knew you'd be waking up."

Fang and Vanille turned to Lightning in surprise, waiting for her to elaborate.

Lightning shrugged and thought back to her encounter with Fang in the gray world, "You told me. You said that…" she exhaled noisily, "that was something was trying to hurt you."

Fang scrunched her face, taken aback, "I said that? Hmm…" she placed her hand on her hip, raising a sculpted eyebrow, "Are you sure you weren't just dreaming about me?" She grinned causing Lightning to redden at the tone of her voice.

"No it's true." Hope interrupted, "Light got us all together to come here, to make sure you guys were okay."

"And then you woke up!" Snow pumped his fist in the air, "Guys, geez, am I the only one psyched about this?" He frowned, "I mean c'mon, you're awake. We should be celebrating, the heroes are reunited!"

Sazh winced, "Ookay that is definitely one of your cornier lines."

Snow snorted.

Vanille's eyes lit up, "Ooh wait, I know. Our brands!" she lifted her skirt, exposing her upper thigh, causing the men to blush and quickly turn their heads away, "My brand is gone. That's a good thing, see?"

"Yes, that's a very good thing." Fang looked on her upper arm, pleased to be without an l'Cie brand, "Good, at least we're not l'Cie."

"No brand, no focus – that's good." Lightning shook her head, "The question is, _why are you awake?_ Why were you speaking to me in my head?"

Fang shrugged, "I don't remember any of that, Sunshine. I mean, just yesterday we killed Orphan."

"Well, technically it was two years ago." Hope amended.

"Two years? That's a record for us, Fang." Vanille grinned.

Lightning shook her head, growing more confused each passing second. She knew her visions with Fang were real and she couldn't understand why Fang had no recollection of them.

"We'll have to figure this out later." Sazh walked over to his bike, "We should go; everyone on Gran Pulse probably saw that bright light."

"Too late." Lightning looked up, noticing several headlights coming towards them from the distance, "Here comes the cavalry."

* * *

><p>The reconnaissance team quickly arrived, jumping out of their vehicles to surround them.<p>

"Vanille, get behind me." Fang ordered, stepping in front of her.

"Stay right where you are." A young private garbed in black armor ordered, pointing his weapon at them.

"Hey, watch where you point that thing." Snow protested, raising his hands up.

"At ease Private." A low voice spoke from behind. Amodar stepped forward a moment later, lowering his gun, "Lightning?" he looked around, seeing four familiar faces, "What are you all doing…" his voice trailed off when he noticed the three PSICOM cognispeeders behind them.

"Great." He groaned, "What are you doing with those?"

"Borrowing them." Lightning easily replied.

"Brohdmir's going to throw a fit when he finds out."

"Most likely."

Amodar smirked; he swore that woman had balls of steel. "We were dispatched to check out a light we saw shining out of Cocoon's tower." He paused for added effect, "Know anything about it?"

"Nope, I don't." She answered, projecting faux innocence.

"Mmmhmm." Amodar stepped forward, skepticism clear in his voice. Looking at the other five individuals who were silently watching the exchange he asked, "And the rest of you?"

They all shook their heads, following Lightning's claim of ignorance. His eyes fell on a tall, stunning brunette standing protectively behind a shorter red head. Something about them seemed familiar. He thought for a moment and then it clicked, how could he forget faces like those?

"Oerba Yun Fang and Oerba Dia Vanille, correct?" He noticed them imperceptibly stiffen. He nodded, knowing he was about to make Lightning very, very angry.

"I'm sorry." He glanced at Lightning regretfully and her eyes widened, "General Brohdmir of PSICOM has given us strict orders to take you both into custody."

A chorus of yells and protests could be heard. Fang quickly flashed her spear, daring anyone to come closer. The PSICOM squad stepped closer to Amodar, raising their weapons once more.

Lightning glared at Amodar, her eyes ruthless and threatening, "Why wasn't I told about this?"

"Conflict of interest, Lieutenant." He frowned, not liking the turn of events, "Tell them to stand down. No one needs to get hurt."

"Like hell stand down, we didn't do anything." Fang snarled, one hand gripping her spear and her other arm wrapped protectively around Vanille.

"Why are you taking them into custody?" Snow stepped forward, shielding Fang and Vanille.

"I'm just following strict orders." Amodar looked at Lightning, pleading for reason, "Please, this doesn't need to escalate any further."

Lightning shook her head, enraged and frustrated, but deep down she knew she had to comply. They wouldn't resolve anything by getting into a fight with the squad and the last thing she wanted was to see someone get hurt.

"Do as he says, we will straighten this out back at headquarters."

Fang's jaw dropped open in disbelief, "You must be insane if you think I'm going to go anywhere with them."

"Fang, please. Let's just go." Vanille placed her hand on Fang's arm, her eyes pleading. Fang sighed deeply, indecision rampant in her eyes. After a few moments, she relented and lowered her spear, relieved sighs from both parties echoing in her ears.

Lightning lifted her hand from her holster, the gears grinding in her head. She couldn't just stand there while they took Fang and Vanille away from her again. She gritted her teeth in displeasure when a brilliant idea occurred to her. She walked over to Amodar who eyed her warily.

"I know you're just following orders." she said softly, waiting for him to agree.

"So," she clenched her fist tightly, "don't take this too personally." she growled, swinging her arm back and connecting solidly with his nose. Amodar went sprawling to the ground, blood running down his chin.

"Take her in too." He snarled.

* * *

><p>Fang chuckled for the fifteenth time, no doubt reliving the moment Lightning punched the older Captain, hurtling him into the air.<p>

"Right in the nose!"

"Fang…" Lightning groaned, shaking her head.

"That was a thing of beauty!"

Lightning smirked.

She glanced around the holding cell the three of them sat in, walking over to the basin to rinse her face.

"I never wanted to hurt anyone…" Vanille trailed off, worry creasing her brow, "We saved Cocoon didn't we?"

"It's most likely going to be a simple interrogation." Lightning reassured, "the General knows what occurred behind the scenes two years ago." She lightly rubbed her shoulder, feeling how tender it was from all the activity, "He knows you're both heroes."

Fang snorted, "If that's PSICOM's way of welcoming heroes, you can spare me."

Vanille nodded in agreement.

"Okay," Amodar appeared on the other side of the bars, a large key in his hand, "The General is ready to see you." His eyes narrowed as he addressed Lightning, "Are you done assaulting me?"

Lightning glowered, still feeling betrayed, "Are you done lying to me?"

He sighed, opening the gate and stepping aside to let them through, "I was just-"

"Following orders, right. You still could have told me." Lightning interjected.

He escorted them down a long hallway, stopping before a large oak door, "He's waiting."

She nodded curtly and stepped into the room with Fang and Vanille.

"Lightning, have a seat please, all of you." Brohdmir stood up, his broad shoulders straining against his uniform. He placed his spectacles on the mahogany desk, running his hand through his peppered gray hair.

"You've been very busy tonight, Lieutenant."

He glanced down at the file on his desk and began reading her offenses verbatim, "Walking into headquarters during after hours, breaking into our garage, damaging military property, stealing –"

"Borrowing." Vanille corrected. The General paused, his gray eyes piercing into Vanille, who gulped.

"_Borrowing,_" he glared at her once more, "military vehicles without the proper authorization, allowing civilians into our facility, and venturing outside of your jurisdiction." He crossed his arms and leaned back, "Oh, and assaulting a commanding officer."

Fang and Vanille looked at Lightning in amazement, "You did all that for us?"

"Uh…"

"Ladies, please." Brohdmir rubbed his temples, "What do you have to say for yourself, Lieutenant?"

"About that promotion…" she noted dryly.

Brohdmir looked down, trying not to smile, _'defiant till the end'_ he thought.

"Very well, we'll address these grave charges in a moment." He turned to Vanille and Fang, "Let's talk about what happened tonight."

Fang looked at him blankly, "What do you mean, what happened? We woke up."

"That's it? You just woke up? Why?"

"We don't know why." Vanille responded.

"Lightning, did you wake them up?"

"No, Sir."

"Why are they awake?"

"I don't know, Sir."

"How did you know to go to Cocoon tonight?"

"A hunch, Sir."

"A _hunch?_" the General rubbed his temples once again, "You did everything you did tonight, based on a _hunch_?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Why are we being detained?" Vanille asked tentatively.

The General pushed his chair back, "To assess if you are both a threat."

Fang snorted, "We aren't a threat, and we don't even have our brands anymore."

"So I've heard. There's still the matter of your crimes against PSICOM." Brohdmir remarked.

"We were defending ourselves!" She pointed at the General, continuing her outburst, "You lot were the ones shooting at us. We were trying to save Cocoon."

"Very well. We acknowledge that we were puppets of the fal'Cie, and we are not proud of that fact. More importantly," Brohdmir paused, "we would like to thank you both for what you did."

The three women looked at Brohdmir, slightly surprised, "But," he continued, "that still doesn't excuse you for putting down so many of our men. And you too Lieutenant, you can't go around doing whatever you please and ignore our chain of command."

"Okay. What are you proposing?" Lightning looked at him expectantly.

"In lieu of throwing you all in jail," he reached into his desk pulling out a large file, "I have something else in mind I'm sure you'd all find much more agreeable…"

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

He handed them each a copy of the file, giving them a moment to review it.

"An _expedition_?" Lightning noted distastefully.

"That's correct. We need someone familiar with Gran Pulse to scout uncharted land. We also need our bestiary expanded and we need the plant life cataloged."

"Let me get this straight." Fang met the General's eyes, making sure she had his undivided attention, "Instead of throwing us in jail, you want us to be a couple of PSICOM lackeys?" Fang snorted, "Lap dogs?"

"I certainly would not phrase it like that. We are asking for your aid, and in return we will exonerate you of any charges." Brohdmir crossed his arms around his bulky chest, "I'm aware that you and Vanille grew up on Gran Pulse, so you're familiar with the land. Is my assessment accurate?" He glanced at Fang and Vanille who both grudgingly nodded.

"We live in a new world and we are on our own," he stood up, "seeing as how you are now both part of it, we can utilize your skill."

"That seems like a lot of work." Fang muttered, "Makes jail look like a vacation."

Vanille elbowed Fang, "But we'd much rather be _outside_ with the plants and fresh air."

"And I'm going, why?" Lightning shut the folder on her lap.

Brohdmir laughed heartily, "I was going to ask you to lead the expedition anyway. But with Fang and Vanille waking up and the long list of grievances you've acquired tonight, you really can't refuse me."

Lightning stubbornly crossed her arms.

"I'm sending a squadron with you; you will have all our resources at your fingertips." he pressed on, "Politics aside, there is no one that is more qualified."

"What?" Lightning gripped the arms of her chair, "A _squadron_? No, absolutely not. If we're doing this, we're doing this alone."

Brohdmir's eyes narrowed, "You don't have a choice in the matter, Lieutenant."

"They would be a liability, General. I am not going to babysit anyone."

"They will be your protection and have your back."

Lightning gave a humorless laugh, "You expect me to lead an expedition and command a squadron as a _Lieutenant_?" She shook her head, "No, thanks. I'd rather not deal with the politics."

"Which is why," Brohdmir paused, putting his glasses back on, "I promoting you to Major."

"Not good enough."

Brohdmir began rubbing his temples again, "Lieutenant Colonel, then."

"No."

"You're going to _barter_ your rank with me?"

"If you're going to send us away_,_" Lightning frowned, "and I make a call to headquarters requesting additional supplies or weapons, I need that request granted immediately." She waited, allowing the General to consider her words.

Fang chuckled, "Stubborn."

The General scratched the back of his neck, "I can't promote you to Colonel without submitting a recommendation to the council." He paused, thinking, "I can, however, make you acting Colonel, which will give you all privileges you need for this expedition."

Lightning consented, "That's good enough."

"If this expedition is a success, upon your return, I will submit a review to the council for a promotion to Colonel." Brohdmir smiled, "You drive a hard bargain, Colonel Farron."

He walked to the door, holding it open, "You can leave in a couple of days."

As they walked through the door, Brohdmir gently grabbed Lightning's arm, "Oh and Lightning?" he paused, waiting for her to turn around, "I know it was more than a _hunch_ that dictated your actions tonight. Dismissed."

* * *

><p>Lightning yawned and slowly opened her eyes, hearing loud voices coming from downstairs. She glanced at her bedside clock, realizing it was late afternoon.<p>

The trio had left PSICOM and arrived back at her house just as dawn was breaching over the horizon. After a quick rundown of events with Snow and Serah, she had ushered Fang and Vanille into the guest room and crawled into her own bed, too exhausted to change.

She sat up, stretching her body and hissing in pain when her shoulder throbbed in protest. Walking into the bathroom to freshen up she took a moment to appreciate the loud buzz of activity she heard from downstairs.

"An expedition?" Sazh scratched his head, "For PSICOM? That was your alternative?"

Fang shrugged, "Send the crazy l'Cie off into the wilderness as soon as they wake up. Works for me."

"Hmm," Vanille tapped her finger on her chin, "maybe they really just want our help."

"Probably a bit of both."

The group turned to Lightning as she passed them, walking into the kitchen to grab a drink. They waited until she emerged and joined them in the living room.

Fang noticed the sling around Lightning's shoulder, "What happened?"

"A Behemoth happened." Lightning replied, casually leaning against the wall.

"And how did _that_ happen?" Fang prodded further, knowing that she was probably getting on her nerves but that was half the fun.

"She got distracted mid-battle." Sazh answered instead as Lightning glared at Fang in irritation.

Vanille tilted her head thinking how unusual that was, "What distracted you? Was it a vision about Fang?"

"You could say that."

"I dragged you off for a little stasis one on one?" Fang grinned, "Sorry for the timing on that."

Lightning sighed, growing frustrated, "We've already been through this." She glared at her, stormy blue eyes meeting emerald green, "You obviously don't believe me."

"It's not that I don't believe you, I just can't remember, Sunshine."

"You need to try harder." Lightning's tone was clipped causing the brunette to stiffen.

Fang raised an eyebrow, "You need to back off."

Sazh and Vanille glanced at each other, wondering where the closest exit was.

Lightning ran her hand through her hair, trying to keep her anger at bay, "I'm trying to help. You said someone was trying to hurt you."

"And I'm telling you, I can't remember any of it."

"Funny that."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Maybe you're too scared to remember."

Fang stormed across the room, stepping into Lightning's personal space and placing her hand on the wall next to her head, "Excuse me?"

"It doesn't bother you that we have absolutely no idea why you came out of stasis? How I knew to find you?" Lightning shook her head, refusing to flinch at the proximity, "Are you being dense on purpose?"

Fang's eyes widened at the insult. First the damn woman insults her pride, then calls her dense. She laughed abruptly and stepped away from Lightning, "You're unbelievable. You don't know what I feel or what I'm thinking."

"I just want to know what we're dealing with." Lightning began walking towards the stairs, having had enough of the conversation.

Vanille and Sazh eyed the retreating soldier wearily, letting out the breath they were holding.

"She's just worried about you." Sazh explained.

Fang scoffed, "Funny way of showing of it."

* * *

><p>Lightning paced around her bedroom, wearing a hole in the carpet. Did Fang not understand the gravity of the situation? Lightning marched into her bathroom, opening the medicine cabinet and rummaging through various bottles, looking for her pain medication. Her shoulder had become a dull ache, unable to handle the exertion of the past few days. Growling, she slammed the mirror shut, trying to remember where she put her pills.<p>

She turned around, hearing a soft knock on her door. Lightning opened it, surprised to see Vanille standing there.

"Can I come in?"

Lightning walked over to the bed and sat down.

Vanille walked around the room, eyeing the various pictures on the wall of Snow, Serah, Hope and Sazh. She cracked a grin, "You need a picture of all of us. I don't think we've ever taken one as a group."

Lightning nodded, eyeing Vanille expectantly.

"Okay you caught me." she giggled, "I'm stalling."

"What do you need, Vanille?"

"I wanted to discuss what happened downstairs." she bounced on the balls of her feet, her hands clasped behind her back.

Upon hearing this, Lightning tilted her head, "Okay, what about it?"

"We aren't so naïve as to think that waking from stasis does not come without a price."

Lightning blinked, impressed with how quickly Vanille was able to bounce from unhindered optimism to somber wisdom in a heartbeat. She looked down, letting Vanille's words wash over her, "Where is she?"

"In the other room." Vanille grinned, "Anyway, Sazh is telling me all about Dajh and Chocobo chick, see you soon." She waved and bounded out of the room.

Lightning sighed, conceding she was probably a bit too harsh with Fang and, if she was to be completely honest with herself, she was also being insensitive. Mind made up, she walked into the hallway towards the guest room.

* * *

><p>Fang was on the bed, contemplating her conversation with Lightning, when she heard the knock.<p>

"It's open." She called out.

Lightning stepped inside; noticing Fang reclined on the bed, her legs crossed at the ankles. She looked around the room, suddenly feeling rather awkward.

"You don't have to stand there, I don't bite." Fang raised an eyebrow, amused.

"I came in here to apologize for what I said earlier." Lightning quickly cut to the chase, fighting a blush that was trying to crawl up her neck. She sat on the edge of the bed, "It was insensitive of me."

"Hmmm…" Fang studied her, her eyes trailing around her face.

Lightning began to squirm, feeling self conscious, "What are you doing?" she snapped.

"Savoring the moment, Sunshine. It's not everyday the mighty Lightning apologizes."

The soldier scowled, causing the brunette to chuckle.

Fang's expression grew serious, "Vanille and I are both awake," she raised her toned arm, studying it, "without a l'Cie brand…"

Lightning waited for her to continue.

"I just want to enjoy it. It's been a long time coming for us." Fang thought of Vanille and how much the young girl had been through.

"I shouldn't be pushing you so hard."

Fang smirked, "Maybe. We do need some answers though. Tell me more about the visions."

Once Lightning finished relaying the events that led up to the last few days, Fang walked over to the window, observing the streaks of red and pink as the sun slowly set, '_What does it all mean?_' Lightning knew they'd wake up because Fang told her they were going to, which means that Fang herself knew she was going to wake up, but she didn't remember a damn thing about any of it happening. She groaned in confusion.

"What?"

"Nothing. It doesn't make any damn sense."

Lightning shifted her position on the bed, and Fang noticed that she was clutching her bad arm close to her chest.

"How bad is your shoulder?"

"It's fine." Lightning winced as she tried to get more comfortable.

"I want to see it." Fang stated, motioning Lightning to lean against the headboard.

"…"

"I'm serious. Let's have a look."

"It's fine…"

Fang crossed her arms, showing she was not going to let up, "May I please see your shoulder?"

Lightning swore under her breath as she took off the shoulder sling. She paused, frowning at Fang, "A little help?" Fang moved behind her, helping her remove the overcoat.

"You're going to have to cut the gauze. There are scissors in the bathroom." She stated, leaning against the headboard.

Fang returned a moment later and sat next to Lightning on the bed. The brunette leaned in and carefully began to snip at the gauze, avoiding any skin or clothing. Lightning watched her closely, seeing Fang's brow knit in concentration as she gently worked around her injury. Once she was done, she peeled the gauze back, hissing in sympathy when she saw the wound.

"That looks awful." Fang turned on the lamp, studying the five gashes that cut deep into the skin.

"It's getting better."

Fang thought back to Lightning's visions. What was it she said? Something about Vanille being able to heal Lightning? Patch her up? They weren't l'Cie anymore but given how strange it all was, it was worth a fair chance.

"I have an idea." Fang inhaled deeply, "VANILLE!" she yelled.

Lightning jumped, startled at the outburst, "What are you –"

"I said that Vanille would patch you up, remember?"

"Yes. But how –"

"VANILLE!" Fang yelled out, louder.

"Fang…"

Vanille burst through the door, "What's wrong?" she asked, rushing over to them.

"Nothing, we just want to try something." Fang pointed at Lightning's shoulder, causing Vanille to wince.

"Ouch, that looks pretty bad."

"While I was in stasis, I told Light that you would be able to help her." Fang explained, "Seeing as how you've always been the best healer, why don't you try healing her?"

Vanille looked at her like she had three heads, "We are not l'Cie anymore, Fang…we don't have any magic."

"Yeah, so what? We aren't supposed to be up and about either."

Vanille sighed heavily and sat down next to Lightning, knowing that arguing was useless. She frowned, staring at the deep lesions and feeling a bit intimidated, "I don't even know where to start."

Lightning sat there, equally skeptical of Fang's idea, "This is a dumb idea, none of us can use magic anymore."

Fang crossed her arms, becoming infuriated, "Do you have any thing positive to contribute or do you just enjoy lobbing insults at me?"

Lightning rolled her eyes, "Fine. I'm sorry."

Fang made a show of dropping her jaw, "Two apologies in one day, that's progress, Sunshine."

"Get on with it, Fang."

Fang looked at Vanille, softening her gaze, "Please try healing her, Vanille."

Warring with uncertainty, Vanille placed her hands on Lightning's shoulder, careful to avoid the gashes. She met Lightning's gaze who nodded in encouragement. Vanille closed her eyes, trying to remember what it felt like to have magic coursing through her veins; the tingling sensation she'd feel in her mind and the burn in her fingers when a spell was cast.

Vanille opened her eyes and glanced at Lightning's shoulder, feeling like she let everyone down, "See, Fang? I can't heal her, I'm sorry."

Fang shook her head, "_Try_ _harder_, Vanille." She kneeled on the floor, "I'll even try with you, okay?" She placed her hand on Vanille's arms, smiling gently at her.

Vanille closed her eyes once again, concentrating on the feel of Lightning's warm skin under her fingertips. She imagined the wound, clear in her mind, as if they were her own. She saw deep inside each laceration, tainting her skin, and imagined sealing the wound, sewing the muscle and skin back together. She breathed deeply, feeling a slight pressure in her head that began to make her nauseous. A tight knot formed deep in her chest and she held onto the sensation, opening her eyes, noticing Lightning's shoulder less discolored, the top half of her injury slowly closing.

"Keep going." Fang whispered.

Vanille closed her eyes again, her face a grimace as the nausea grew stronger, and the pressure in her head expanded, making her grunt in pain. The migraine grew more severe and she dimly wondered if someone had started to hit her on the head with a hammer. She held her breath, continuing to push, the image of Lightning's shoulder sealing itself becoming a mantra in her mind.

"Vanille!"

Vanille opened her eyes, noticing she was drenched in sweat, and smiled up at Lightning, "I did it." and then fainted into Fang's arms, blackness taking her away.

TBC...

* * *

><p>AN: I want to thank everyone that has left a review, feedback, constructive criticism etc... - I really, really appreciate it :)


	6. Chapter 6

"Did she get caught between you?"

"Of course not."

"Uh huh, are you sure one of you didn't knock her out?"

"Now why the hell would we do that, old man?"

"Just sayin', you two came pretty close to trading blows earlier."

"She healed my shoulder and then fainted."

Vanille slowly opened her eyes, seeing Sazh, Fang and Lightning leaning over her. She sat up on the bed, grabbing her pounding head, "I don't feel so well…" She closed her eyes, waiting for the wave of nausea to subside.

Fang let out a sigh of relief, "Don't scare me like that." She ruffled Vanille's hair and handed her a glass of water and some aspirin, "Here, take this."

"Thank you, Vanille." Lightning smiled down at her, "You healed it completely."

"Yeah," Fang thumped Lightning on the shoulder, earning a scowl, "It's as good as new."

"Wait," Sazh peered at her shoulder, "how did you do that?"

"I don't know…I just tried to heal her." Vanille responded, sitting up and willing the room to stop spinning.

They heard the front door open and close, "Serah and Snow are home." Lightning walked towards the door, "I'll be right back."

Sazh followed Lightning out of the room, giving the Oerbans some privacy.

"How was I able to do that?" Vanille asked, wrapping her arms around her knees.

Fang put her hand on Vanille's shoulder, sitting next to her on the bed, "I don't know, but I'm proud of you." The older Oerban closed her eyes, not telling Vanille how much it scared her, seeing her faint from the exertion of casting the spell. It was her own fault after all, Fang conceded, she was the one that had told her to try it.

"Do you think it's connected to being l'Cie or is it something else?" Vanille frowned; it was the something else part that frightened her.

Fang straightened up, sighing pensively, "I don't have the answers, I'm in the dark; same as you. We're just going to have to take this one step at a time." She wrapped her arms around Vanille's shoulder, allowing the redhead to rest against her.

"Just deal one step at a time, right?"

Fang held Vanille tighter against her, not wanting Vanille to worry about anything, not when Fang would do anything to keep her safe. "Yeah, everything will be fine, you'll see." Fang looked up at the ceiling, keeping her tone reassuring but inside her mind was reeling, wondering what it all meant.

* * *

><p>Serah insisted on having a mini celebration of sorts, much to Lightning's displeasure, "Serah, I don't think it's a good ti-"<p>

Serah placed her hand on her hip, a mannerism that Lightning knew well, "It's the perfect time, Claire. When was the last time you got to sit down with _everyone_ and just enjoy yourself?"

Lightning sighed, knowing that ultimately, arguing with her sister was useless, especially when they were cut from the same stubborn mold, "We have to pack, we have to talk about these visions with Fang, Vanille is suddenly able to wield magic…" Lightning trailed off, seeing that she was having absolutely no impact on the younger Farron.

"You've been carrying a heavy load these past two years..." Serah walked over to Lightning's desk, examining the various knick knacks and awards, "I know how incomplete you felt losing two of your own, and I know that you partially blamed yourself." They'd never really discussed this; Serah knew that Lightning tended to keep her emotions tightly restrained but that didn't mean all her turmoil had escaped the younger Farron.

The latter simply sighed, not all that surprised at her younger sister's insight. Serah continued, "And now they're back…" She gave a sincere smile, "and you don't know what tomorrow holds."

Lightning stared at the carpet, listening intently, "So," Serah continued, seeing that she had her sister right where she needed her, "we are going to have a little party, and you're going to have _fun…_whether you like it or not." The last part was stated with friendly, yet threatening undertones and the soldier smirked, secretly pleased that her sister had some of her own tenacity.

"Yes, Sir."

Serah walked over to Lightning, giving her a hug, "I just want to see you smile more."

The soldier nodded, "Thank you." They walked out of the room together and Lightning steeled herself, she really wasn't one for large social gatherings but if that's what Serah wanted, Lightning would do her best to have…fun.

* * *

><p>"Hey! You healed Lightning's shoulder, I have this ache, right here," Snow pointed to his lower back as Vanille and Fang walked into the living room.<p>

Fang shot him a dirty look that effectively silenced him, "She won't be doing anymore healing for a while."

"I called Hope, I wanted to have a celebration." Serah grinned at everyone, her enthusiasm infectious, "I know something is going on but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy ourselves."

Vanille jumped up, excited, "Can I help you cook dinner?"

"Yeah, definitely. I was about to get started."

"Great!" Vanille followed Serah into the kitchen, her migraine and aches long forgotten.

The doorbell rang and Lightning opened it, seeing Hope sporting a large bottle of champagne. She arched her eyebrow, "My dad gave it to me." Hope shrugged, "He's happy that Fang and Vanille are awake and wanted them to have it."

Lightning was about to argue when she was pushed aside, "That's great, you can tell him I say thank you." Fang gave Lightning a toothy grin, her green eyes twinkling in jest, "It's a celebration after all, Sunshine."

They all sat around the dining room table, having just finished eating. They brought Hope up to speed with the recent events at PSICOM and Lightning's healed shoulder.

"Can the rest of you cast any spells?" Vanille glanced at each of them, praying they would say yes, that it wasn't just another fluke they were supposed to accept.

Everyone shook their heads, "We've tried, believe me. There's nothing there." Snow replied, crushing Vanille's prayers.

"Yup, it's a dry well for us." Sazh looked at her, "I guess it's just another part of the mystery."

Fang crossed her arms, leaning back on her chair, "I'm tired of all these mysteries." She shook her head asking herself it was too much to ask that they come out of stasis, just once, without something looming over their heads.

Hope glanced up at Lightning, something was bothering him, "There's something else I don't understand, I thought you didn't want the promotion to Colonel?"

Lightning rested her elbow on the table, not sure if she wanted to discuss her own reasons for pushing her rank. She heaved a sigh, "I think the General is up to something."

"What do you mean?" Serah asked, immediately concerned.

"They're sending a _squad_ with us on…" Lightning raised her hands in the air, quoting the General's words, "an expedition. I don't understand why we need a squad of soldiers following us to take pictures of plants and wildlife." she paused, allowing them to absorb her words, "...Pushing my rank to Colonel for absolute control of the squad seemed like a good idea." she shrugged, "I don't know what he expects we'll find out there but I want full control of the situation when we find it."

"Plus," Fang interjected, "they had us over a barrel. It was either that or cool our heels in jail."

Lightning nodded, not bothering to add that even if she didn't face jail time for breaking all of PSICOM's rules, she still wouldn't have let Fang and Vanille go at it alone.

"I don't like this." Snow muttered, "This sounds like a dirty PSICOM game."

"If something was out there, wouldn't we have seen or heard it by now?" Hope asked, "We're patrolling the surrounding areas constantly."

Sazh shrugged, "Maybe whatever is out there hasn't arrived yet, and you're the bait." His eyes rested on Vanille, who audibly gulped, neither of them liking the insinuations.

"I think…" Serah eyed Snow, placing her hand on his, knowing what they both needed to happen, "I think…Snow should go with you."

Snow let out a sigh of relief, she knew him so well and he knew that neither of them would be able to sleep soundly knowing that Lightning could be in danger, "Yeah. Let me go with you, I can watch your back."

Lightning eyed her sister, expecting this to happen. Truth be told, she decided that if Snow offered to accompany them, she wasn't going to argue, not when there was so much uncertainty on the table, "Serah, are you sure?"

Serah nodded seriously, "Yes, I'm sure."

"How long are you going to be gone?" Hope asked, his own feelings taking after Snow.

"Probably about three weeks, tops."

"I'm going with you, too."

Sazh looked around the room, "Three weeks huh? I'd go but I don't have a babysitter that could keep Dajh for three weeks."

Serah grinned, having adopted the boy as her own nephew, "Don't be silly. I'll watch him; he can keep me company while Snow and Lightning are gone."

Sazh scratched the back of his neck, "Are you sure? What about Choco-Chick?"

"I'll take care of him too, they're good company." Serah smiled fondly, thinking of the two and their antics.

"I guess it's settled then." Fang grinned at Vanille; it was good to have family.

"Wait, are we even allowed to go, Light? Aren't we civilians?" Hope asked a moment later, eyeing Lightning who had been listening to the whole exchange.

Lightning gave an uncharacteristic chuckle, "Of course you can. I'm the Colonel."

The seven of them retired into the living room after they had cleared the table, various topics being discussed, and mainly bringing Fang and Vanille up to date on all the changes within the past two years.

"You're still not married?" Vanille asked Serah and Snow, slightly surprised.

"All the trouble we went through and you still haven't tied the knot?" Fang shook her head in dismay causing Lightning give a small smile, those were her thoughts exactly.

"We were going to!" Serah laughed, glancing sideways at Snow, "We just haven't had the time."

"We had to move out of Cocoon, rebuild here, and we've just been busy." Snow explained, "As soon as we catch some downtime we're going to get married."

"Yeah, we have the placed picked out and everything."

Sazh chuckled, "If Lightning weren't so busy herself; she would have killed you by now, Snow."

Everyone turned to Lightning who shrugged in response, neither affirming or denying.

"Comforting…" Hope grinned.

"All right," Fang stood up from the couch, walking out of the room and returning with the bottle of champagne, "time for a drink."

"Sounds good to me." Sazh got up, rubbing his hands together.

"I want a glass!" Vanille got up and skipped into the kitchen to retrieve some wine glasses.

"Aren't you too young?" Snow teased Vanille when she returned.

She glared at him as she handed the glasses out, "What do you mean, too young? I'm like five hundred years old."

"Everyone is required to have a least one glass." Fang replied, making sure she made eye contact with Lightning who wrinkled her nose in distaste.

"Let's have a toast." Hope stood up, waiting till Fang had filled everyone's glass, "A toast to family," he nodded around the room, "and adventures to come."

"I like that." Sazh raised his glass, "Bring it on."

* * *

><p>Sazh and Hope had gone home a while ago, Snow and Serah had retired to bed along with Fang and Vanille. Lightning stood in front of the window in the living room, watching Cocoon afloat and abandoned in the distance. She wholeheartedly blamed Serah and Fang for her reflective state of mind – they had made a game of constantly filling her champagne glass throughout the evening. The two had teamed up against her and every time the champagne bottle was lifted off the table, one of them would make sure her glass was filled to the brim.<p>

She normally didn't drink, she never understood the appeal. Tonight, however, she found herself actually partaking in the festivity around her and genuinely having a good time.

She grabbed her shoulder expecting it to be aching, but it was more of a reflex she had grown accustomed to since the injury. She studied her shoulder under the moonlight, noting how strong and healthy it felt and decided she would never take her wellbeing for granted again.

"Amazing, isn't it?" She heard a soft voice behind her, knowing that it belonged to Fang.

"The healing? Yes, it is." Lightning responded, not bothering to turn around. She felt herself become rigid, as she normally did whenever she found herself alone with the unpredictable brunette.

"That too, but…" Fang stood next to her a moment later, meeting her eyes, "the view." She nodded towards Cocoon. Lightning watched her silently, studying her profile under the moonlight, admiring the way her smoldering green eyes shone under the faint light.

"You don't think so?" Fang asked, looking at Lightning when she didn't respond.

"Hmm?" Lightning blinked, snapping out of her musings, "What? Oh, the view," she shook her head, her face aflame at having been caught staring, "Yeah, it's great."

Fang arched an elegant eyebrow, surprised by how awkward the pink haired soldier had become. Lightning was normally composed, sometimes even stoic but Fang knew better. She realized early on in their volatile friendship that she took great pride in flustering Lightning, a fact she was sure the latter already knew.

Fang decided a flustered Lightning was too good an opportunity to pass, "See something you like, Sunshine?" she tiled her head, studying with fascination as the soldier blushed some more, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

"What?" Lightning swallowed thickly, trying to regain control of her own emotions, "No. I mean, the view, it's nice. Cocoon." she cleared her throat, "I've had too much to drink, good night." she muttered, shaking her head and cursing once again at all the champagne she drank.

Fang laughed, watching as Lightning scurried away, "Good night, Light."

Lightning marched into her bedroom, groaning under her breath, '_Damn it, Fang_.' She sighed, shedding her clothes and tumbling into bed. She laid there watching the room slightly tilt and turn and her thoughts drifted. Thoughts about the expedition, Fang and Vanille, her healed shoulder, and her visions flooded her mind. How was it the Oerban always managed to crawl under her skin? Lightning turned to her side and closed her eyes, deciding that no matter what they were facing, she wouldn't lose them again.


	7. Chapter 7

The six of them arrived at PSICOM headquarters early in the morning, ready to depart within the hour. Lightning instructed that they pack lightly, seeing as how PSICOM would provide most of the essentials they would need. She escorted everyone into the building and into the garage compound where they observed the squadron waiting for them. They were approached by a man as large as Snow, his long gait making massive strides towards them. His brown eyes narrowed upon seeing the group of five standing behind her.

"Let me handle this." She instructed, looking over her shoulder at Sazh, Snow, and Hope.

"I'm Lieutenant Galvin; I'm in charge of the squadron." He stated as he arrived in front of Lightning. He glanced behind her shoulder, "There are supposed to be a total of three, why are there six of you?"

Lightning crossed her arms, "This is my expedition team, Lieutenant." she smoothly responded.

Galvin raised his eyebrows in protest, "You can't bring civilians; they're a liability."

Snow grunted, ready to exchange words with the Lieutenant but he gritted his teeth and bit back the impulse, knowing Lightning wouldn't appreciate his interference.

Lightning glowered, "No. _They_ are my backup. _You_,however, Lieutenant Galvin," pointing her finger in his face and then to the team of soldiers waiting, "and your _squad_ are the liability."

The Lieutenant clenched his large, angular jaw in annoyance, "I urge you to reconsider your decision Sir, to bring untrained civilians on this trip."

Lightning stepped forward, eyeing the taller man with cold, blue eyes, "This is _my_ expedition, Lieutenant, and you follow my orders. If I want your _advice_, I will ask for it."

The Lieutenant looked away from her face, not meeting her eyes, his back ramrod straight, "Do I make myself clear?" her tone took an authoritative edge.

"Yes, Colonel Farron."

"Dimissed."

Lieutenant Galvin nodded and stormed back to the squadron, barking orders to get ready for departure.

She heard Sazh chuckle behind her, pointing to her insignia, "I see that bird comes in handy."

Snow took in the scene before him noticing the vehicles the soldiers were using; he didn't recognize them, "Are those new?"

Lightning followed his gaze, "Those are Special Artillery Reconnaissance Vehicles." he looked at her blankly, "A new prototype that PSICOM has been working on."

"What's so special about them?" Hope asked.

"It has a modified propulsion system using AMP technology for long trips," she paused noticing something new in the prototype, "and turrets."

"I want one of those." Sazh stated, mildly impressed.

"You sure? They probably drive themselves." Fang thought back to the time they escaped the Palamecia and how unnerved they all were that the ship took off on auto pilot. If that were the case with these vehicles, she was throwing Sazh in the front seat. He looked at her, thinking the same thing.

"And the bikes?" Vanille observed as the soldiers pulled two cognispeeders out of the garage.

"For the Lieutenant and his Sergeant." Lightning wondered if they were going to play twenty questions, "Anything else?"

"Nope, we're good for now, Sis." Snow picked up on her slight irritation, "I'm sure we'll have lots of other questions later."

Lightning sighed, realizing that this would be a long trip. She needed all the patience she could spare and then some. She had to deal with a squad of soldiers led by a disgruntled Lieutenant and she also promised Serah she wouldn't cause Snow any bodily harm.

* * *

><p>The entire expedition team pulled out of New Bodhum and by midafternoon they were well into Gran Pulse, having left the city behind hours ago. The beautiful scenery before them scrolled by as the vehicles drove on, the wind whipping their faces. Lightning pulled her map out of her bag, gripping it tightly so it wouldn't fly away. She noticed that they were close to the boundaries on her map; soon they would pass charted land and her map would be useless.<p>

The military vehicle had a large truck bed which enabled the six of them to sit together, three on each side. Lightning had chosen to sit in the truck bed instead of the sitting in the front with the driver, preferring to be near her five companions.

She shifted uncomfortably; she somehow managed to get caught between Snow and Fang, with Snow taking up most of the space with his massive frame.

"You're taking up half the seat." she grumbled, trying not to squirm as she noticed she was partially on Fang's lap.

"What?" he yelled, her voice having been lost in the roaring wind.

Fang turned to her, "Did you say something?"

Lightning rolled her eyes, "Nevermind."

Snow and Fang looked at each other, pointing to their ears, "What?" they yelled in unison.

Lightning sighed, a long trip indeed.

They drove on for a few more hours finally entering their first stretch of uncharted land. Lightning tapped her com device, ordering the Lieutenant to stop the squad so they could begin setting up their tents for the evening. She figured with twelve soldiers, two officers, and the six of them, they would need a few hours to get everything prepared before the sun set.

They hopped out of the truck, stretching their legs and surveying their surroundings.

"This is it?" Sazh motioned to flat plains of grass that stretched for miles, "Uncharted land? It looks the same as everything else."

"What did you expect? The map ends and we fall off the earth?" Fang walked to the back of the truck, rummaging through some supplies, looking for a camping tent.

"How about a change of scenery?" Hope offered, finding their first trip into the unknown a bit anticlimactic.

"The scenery changes further down," Vanille pointed over to the horizon, "You'll like it." At least, she hoped it was the way she remembered, realizing that it had actually been at least five hundred years since she'd been this deep into the Pulse.

"You've both been this far?" Lightning took her map out, beginning to pencil in their location.

"Yeah. Back in the day, when we didn't have fancy AMP trucks." Fang pulled the tent out of the back of the truck and began to assemble the rods. Lightning packed her map away and walked over to her, helping her drive the stakes into the ground.

"Grandma."

"You have a death wish, old man?"

Snow chuckled at Fang and Sazh as he pulled out another tent, even he knew better than to tease brunette about her actual age.

After they assembled all the tents, Hope and Snow promptly set up the campfire, creating a cozy glow in the backdrop of the setting sun. Lightning sat on the ground, jotting notes into her pad as the rest of them began scouring through their supplies, looking for food.

"I hope this is good." Vanille took the offered military ration from Hope, turning the package in her hand, "How do you heat it?"

Hope grabbed a flameless heater from the supplies and opened the package. After pouring some water from his canteen into the package, he placed her ration inside and propped it against a large rock and grinned, "That's it. Give it about ten minutes and you'll have a hot meal."

Minutes later, they all sat down by the campfire, opening their rations.

Fang took a bite and her eyes widened as she slowly chewed. She spit it out immediately, the half-chewed piece of food falling perilously close to Snow's boot.

"Hey! Watch it!" he moved his large foot and covered the half-chewed spoonful with dirt.

"What _is _that?" Fang wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, her brow knitted in horror.

Hope laughed, grabbing her package and reading it aloud, "Turkey meal."

"That's not turkey, that's something you scrape off the side of the road." she grabbed her canteen, hastily gulping down water, trying to wash the offending taste out of her mouth.

"What? I love the turkey mea-"

Fang shoved her ration into Sazh's hand, shaking her head, "You eat it then. What about you, Vanille?" Fang looked over at Vanille, who wore a similar expression.

"It's pretty bad." she risked a glance at Lightning, giving her an apologetic look.

Lightning became exasperated, "Fang, you're going to have to eat it."

"Like hell I do." The stubborn Oerban crossed her arms.

"What are you going to do, then?" she challenged, annoyed that the brunette was being so difficult.

"I'm gonna get dinner, Gran Pulse style." Fang stood up, grabbing her spear with satisfaction, "Vanille?" Vanille stood up, handing her ration to Snow.

"And that means…?" Lightning set her food down, growing more irritated by the second, why couldn't she just eat the damn food?

"Hunt. Fresh meat. Something edible." Fang couldn't figure out why Lightning was getting so irked, the food was _disgusting_ and just because the pink haired soldier was content to settle for it, didn't mean she or Vanille had to.

"Just you and Vanille? By yourselves?"

"Is there a problem?" Fang arched her eyebrow and walked over to Lightning, who was still seated on the ground. She wasn't a prisoner to Lightning, she may have been dragged into this expedition to avoid prison but out here, in the middle of nowhere, she certainly wasn't going to bend over backwards for her.

She looked up at Fang, her eyes trailing over her long legs, immediately ruffled by her towering silhouette. Both women locked eyes as Lightning slowly stood up, "We're in the middle of nowhere. The sun will be setting soon." she ground out, "And you want to go on a _hunting_ trip?" she paused as Fang's eyes narrowed, "And possibly put Vanille in danger?" she added the last part to spite the taller woman, knowing it would slam Fang's buttons. She wasn't sure why she said it; she knew Vanille would always be safe with older Oerban, but then again, she wasn't thinking clearly.

The words had the intended effect as Fang gripped her spear so hard her knuckles turned white. She placed herself nose to nose with Lightning, snarling, "I would never put Vanille in any danger and if you want to remain standing," she jabbed her finger into Lightning's chest, "I recommend you never say that to me again."

Lightning growled, her whole body tensing, "If you ever touch me like that again, I will break your finger." The two women stared each other down, getting lost in a torrid sea of blue and green, both of them realizing they were a second away from coming to blows.

"Guys..." Vanille watched them with growing apprehension.

Having forgotten they had an audience, the two women sharply turned their heads. Vanille gulped, instantly deciding that having them look at her like that could very well send her running off into the wild.

Lightning let out a breath, taking a step back from Fang. She rubbed her forehead, making sure her tone was neutral, "Take some soldiers with you, please."

Fang remained silent, though her shoulders relaxed. She turned around without another word and walked over to the Lieutenant who was sitting with his men. Vanille followed a moment later. Lightning watched them both leave and then promptly turned around, storming into her tent, needing a moment to compose herself.

"Phew." Hope exhaled the breath he had been holding, looking around the campfire in relief. Sazh and Snow exchanged a look.

"Lots of tension between those two, huh?" Snow grinned, shaking his head.

Sazh chuckled, "Just wait till it snaps."

Lightning sat down on her sleeping bed and pulled her gunblade out of her holster. She had an inexplicable urge to slaughter something. She slammed her fist into her bag, ripping out a piece of cloth and began to polish her weapon, grunting under her breath, "Stubborn, obstinate, hard-headed…" she managed to rip her polishing cloth down the center, '_Great._'.

Lightning emerged from her tent just after sundown, hearing a loud ruckus coming for the Lieutenant's campsite. She inhaled the smell of food as it filled her nostrils and noticed the entire squadron gathered around Fang and Vanille as they roasted the meat over the fire.

"She and Vanille caught something huge." Snow explained a moment later, holding a steaming plate of cooked meat in one hand, "There's enough there to feed twenty people, so we decided to boost morale among the ranks."

Lightning observed Fang and Vanille mingling with the soldiers as they handed out plates of meat. Fang paused and turned her head, her eyes meeting Lightning's. She leaned over and whispered something to Vanille and then sauntered over to Lightning, a plate of food in her hand.

"You can add wild boar to the bestiary for these parts." she handed her a plate of food, "Try it."

Lightning gingerly picked up a piece of pork and placed it in her mouth. She slowly began to chew, trying to be nonchalant about the whole thing but really thinking how delicious it was. "Thanks." she mumbled.

Fang grinned, not fooled for a second, "I told you so."

* * *

><p>That evening, at PSICOM headquarters, General Brohdmir stood by his office window, worry plaguing his thoughts.<p>

"I take it they've left, General?" a soft voice spoke behind him.

"Solistaria, I love how you seem to pop in, unannounced." he turned around and walked over to his desk, barely sparing a glance at the woman that stood in his office, "Yes, they left this morning."

"How did you manage that?" she stepped up to the window in his stead, observing the city before her.

"I had to threaten prison and promote Lightning." he chuckled, reliving the experience of bargaining with the stubborn soldier.

"Good. And Fang is with her?" she turned around to watch him, her long red hair flowing around her shoulders like silk.

"Yes, Fang is on the expedition as well."

She smiled, pleased with the outcome.

He rubbed his temples, "Tell me again, why you can't kill Fang yourself?" he fidgeted with his glasses, entirely uncomfortable in her presence, "Why a _God_ can't do this?"

She frowned, '_mortals and their stupid questions.'_ "I told you, General." she summoned her patience, "I am only here in form, this universe is not my own." she turned away from the window, watching the older man nervously twitch, "I may be a God, but there is a greater balance of power that limits us."

"Right." He grabbed his pen, hastily tapping it against the desk, "And Fang? I don't understand how one woman is capable of destroying a world." He thought back to the brunette, she seemed so harmless; perhaps a bit brash but she was young, pretty, filled with spunk.

"You feel guilt for issuing the orders to the Lieutenant." Solistaria stepped closer to him, reading his emotions, "When instead, you should feel thankful that she does not realize how powerful she is."

Her eyes narrowed when the General didn't meet her gaze. "Would you rather see Questra succeed?" she waited, gauging his reaction, tasting his conflict in the air, "She is his instrument, his pawn, his _deliverance_. Is that not enough to quell this," she paused in distaste, "_guilt_ that you feel?"

The General sighed, "How do you benefit from this, Solistaria?"

"I told you already, General." she smiled, unnerving him, "We are on the same side. I have my own reasons."

He closed his eyes, waiting for her continue, but she had vanished. He was alone again in his office. He shook his head in dismay, how did they find themselves in this mess?

* * *

><p>Reviews and criticism are appreciated :)<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: This chapter has some graphic violence soo...yeah. Nothing _too_ extreme, but yeah, there it is. :D**

* * *

><p>"Anything new?" Lightning asked Snow and Hope as they arrived back to the campsite. They had been breaking up into groups of two or three, each group taking off in different directions to cover more territory.<p>

"Nah, not this time." Snow took his trench coat off and reached for his canteen, "It's too hot," he mumbled.

They'd been traveling for five days, going deeper and deeper into Gran Pulse. The scenery slowly began to change as they went further in; miles and miles of grass evolved into long sloping hills, a large forest could be seen with binoculars in the distance, and the terrain had become rockier. These parts of Gran Pulse hadn't been explored in centuries.

Lightning watched Fang, Vanille and Sazh arrive a moment later.

"We didn't see anything new today, just the same old-"

Fang was interrupted as a loud crash ripped through the camp, startling them.

Shouts and weapon firing filled the air and Lightning stood up, unsheathing her gunblade. She quickly ran towards the squadron's camp, the others trailing behind her. She grabbed a young Private as he rushed past her, "What's going on?"

He gasped, his face ashen, his eyes wide, "I-I don't know, Sir. It just came out of nowhere."

"Where's Lieutenant Galvin?"

"Don't know, he grabbed a group of four…" he paused, catching his breath, "to set up the turrets."

Lightning tore away from the Private as Vanille grabbed her wrist.

"What is that?" Vanille whispered, her eyes growing wide.

They followed her gaze to a tall, hulking figure approaching their camp, several yards away.

Standing close to fourteen feet tall, towering over everything they had, it slowly stalked towards them. The creature raised its bulbous head to the sky and screamed, stretching its massive arms, letting them know that it had arrived.

Lightning and the others clutched their ears as the scream ripped into their minds, raking them like nails on a chalkboard. The creature abruptly stopped and snapped its head towards them, its red, beady eyes appraising.

Sazh stepped back, pulling his pistols out of his holster, "Should we add that to the bestiary?"

Fang took a step back as well, readying her lance, "No…that's something else."

Lightning ran forward, scanning the vehicles looking for the Lieutenant. She stopped when she saw the creature grab a young Private with its long claws, hearing his scream ring through the field. She watched in horror as it lifted him into the air and sunk its teeth into his neck. The soldier gurgled as he was drained of blood and tossed to the side. It lifted its head and locked eyes with her, smiling and exposing several rows of canines.

"Colonel, over here!"

Lightning followed the sound of the Lieutenant's voice, seeing him readying one of several turrets. She saw rows of ammunition at his feet and several terrified soldiers working frantically behind him. She vaulted onto the truck, assisting his trembling hands. She glanced at the creature slowly approaching and made sure she could still see Fang and the others, making sure they were a safe distance away.

"Get back!" Fang yelled at the other soldiers, making them clear a path for the turret.

Lightning stood behind the massive machine gun and fired several rounds into the beast's body. The beast bellowed, shaking as each bullet pounded into its armored chest. It staggered to its hands and knees and Lightning released the trigger. Silence echoed through the camp until hollow laughter filled their ears. The beast stood up, slowly stretching its spiked shoulders, meeting each of their eyes, and ran towards them.

Chaos broke out as the creature entered into the campsite, shredding tents with its talons.

The soldier's broke into formation, continuing to fire even though it was futile.

Fang grabbed Vanille as she watched the creature drag its claws down another soldier's chest, flinging him away like a puppet. Another soldier tried to run behind it, hoping to gain the element surprise, but the beast could not be fooled. It quickly turned around, and Fang closed her eyes at the horrible sounds that came from the young Private, his pleas for mercy etching a gruesome picture in her mind. The beast leapt on two more soldiers, forcing them to the ground; snapping their bones and silencing them forever.

"How do we kill it!" Sazh continued to fire his pistols, even though it had no effect.

"Do we have anything bigger?" Lightning looked at Lieutenant Galvin who swallowed thickly, his voice like small tremors.

"N-No."

Hope and Snow began to load another turret, hoping to at least slow the creature down. Lightning saw another soldier get caught between its jaws. The creature shook his head like a rabid dog, releasing the soldier's lifeless body.

"LIGHTNING! WAIT!" Vanille cried out, her hands flying to her mouth as she watched the pink haired soldier run straight towards the beast, her gunblade drawn.

"You need to stay here." Fang grabbed her roughly and shoved her into Sazh's arms, "Watch her."

Lightning charged into the creature, quickly dodging a deadly swipe. She raised her gunblade with both hands and slammed her weapon down on its arm with such force she thought she broke her wrists. It laughed at her futile attempts and backhanded her. She flew back several feet, her gunblade dropping from her hands. It ambled towards her, reaching for her with its claws, thirsting for more blood.

Lightning lay on her back, unable to breath from the force of impact. She saw a flash of blue and watched as Fang stepped in front of her, clutching her lance.

"Right here, that's right," Fang taunted, trying to capture its attention.

The beast charged and Fang quickly evaded the attack, stabbing her lance into its chest, piercing through its scales and into the soft tissue underneath. It thundered in pain and anger, and Fang stepped further away from Lightning, satisfied that it wanted her instead. She realized that she knew exactly what she needed to do, and the revelation caused her to pause.

"FANG!" she heard Lightning yell her name and she recovered, narrowly avoiding another deadly strike. She twirled her lance in her hands with a deadly air of confidence waiting for the right moment.

They circled each other and the beast lunged again, both arms outstretched, trying to grab her. She dodged once more and ran behind it, smashing her lance into the ground and using it as leverage to jump on its back. It struggled as she gripped the spikes on its shoulders, trying to shake her off. Fang lifted her lance and thrust it into the back of the creature's neck with ease, noting that there was no armor there to protect it. The beast fell, choking as Fang continued to twist and push her weapon in. Blood gushed out of its mouth and it flailed for a few moments longer until it finally closed its eyes, dead.

* * *

><p>Lightning observed the destroyed campsite before her. She looked around, watching the others; no one had said much of anything, the shock of what happened still fresh in their minds. Lightning closed her eyes; <em>'There had been so much blood<em>.' So much for babysitting the squad, she barely protected them.

Fang watched Lightning from a distance, unsure of what to make of her silence. The silence wasn't all that unusual; it was the listless look in her eyes that bothered her. She approached her quietly, "Are you okay?"

Lightning slowly turned around to face her, "Yes. Thanks to you." She studied Fang closely, her eyes trailing over her brow and her beauty mark. She abruptly turned around and walked into her tent. Fang, against her better judgment, followed.

"What's your problem?" Fang winced as the words left her mouth, '_Great way to start a heart to heart,'_ she chastised herself.

Lightning's eyes narrowed as she slowly began to walk towards Fang. "Half the squad was just slaughtered," her tone was sarcastic, "I was nearly killed, and you're asking me what my problem is?"

Fang sighed, ready to apologize but Lightning continued to stalk towards her, still not finished with her rant. The brunette took a few steps back, trying to put some distance between them but the soldier wasn't having it.

"_You _jumped right in and killed that _thing_ like you've done it a thousand times before," Lightning continued. She slowly cornered the brunette until Fang's knees hit the back of the cot and she fell. "You knew exactly what to do," Lightning leaned down, placing herself nose to nose with Fang, her hot breath blowing over the brunette's face, "Why is that?"

Fang crossed her arms becoming defensive and a little uncomfortable with the soldier's proximity, "I don't know, why."

"You're hiding something from me."

"No, I'm not," Fang insisted, getting frustrated, "I don't know how I knew."

"That's not good enough."

"It's the best I've got."

"I'm not doing this with you today," Lightning softly uttered, the sudden change in her mood confusing Fang. Lightning began walking out of the tent.

"Where are you going?" Fang called out, watching the soldier retreat.

"To get some answers."

Fang sighed realizing that Lightning was running on high emotions and lashing out, which meant things were about to get a bit rough; which meant Fang had to make sure the other woman didn't do anything _too_ drastic. She followed her out of the tent and watched as Lightning stalked into the Lieutenant's tent.

Lightning clenched her fist, seeing the Lieutenant leaning over a small, round table. "Why are you here, Lieutenant?"

He looked up, his face pale, sweat running down his brow, still shaking from what had happened earlier. "I...I don't know what you mean, Colonel."

Lightning took a step closer. "Why are you _here_? You knew this would happen, didn't you?" she accused.

He straightened up, his hands quavering as he wiped the droplets of sweat off his face, "I'm…I'm not sure I under-"

Lightning stormed up to him, grabbing his neck and slamming him on the table. She squeezed his throat and menacingly ground out, "_Half _our squad is dead." She briefly closed her eyes and saw the young soldiers ripped into like flimsy cloth. "Don't make me ask you again."

"Neutr…" he wheezed, trying to speak, "ize Fan…uh"

Lightning loosened her grip and he gasped for air. His hands flew to his throat and chest, "Neutralize…" he breathed in deeply, "Fang."

Before she even had time to process what he said_, _her hand snapped back onto his neck, white anger clouding her vision. She heard those words in her mind, '_Neutralize Fang'_, like a record player that continued to skip. It evoked a fierce response when she began to visualize the Lieutenant's orders, what it meant, what it looked like. She growled, squeezing harder.

"Lightning!" Fang ran up behind her, placing her hand on her arm, her eyes hard, "Stop." She didn't recall ever seeing the pink haired soldier this out of control, this unpredictable.

The Lieutenant wheezed some more as the two women stared at each other. His face began to turn blue.

"Stop it." Fang gripped her arm harder, her eyes darting around Lightning's, trying to anchor her, trying to bring her back. She was equally upset, but they'd seen enough violence today.

Lightning blinked and looked down at the Lieutenant, almost surprised. Her hand fell away and she stepped back. She nodded distractedly at Fang, letting her know she was herself again. Lightning took a deep breath, shoving all her errant emotions back into the box and closing the lid.

Fang turned to the Lieutenant, her voice heated, "Why were you ordered to kill me?"

"I don't know," he sat up, eyeing Lightning wearily, "The General only told me you were a threat. The rest was classified."

"What did he say?" Lightning snapped.

"He said…" he stood up from the desk and backed away from Lightning. His eyes landed on Fang, "I needed to take you out and it needed to look like an accident…Or that it happened in the heat of battle…" he shuffled back further, unsure if the Colonel would make another attempt at his life.

Lightning looked around the room, clenching her jaw, the bile of betrayal thick in her mouth. "You were sent to assassinate her."

The Lieutenant began to pace around the tent and began to laugh, "Yes, and half my men are dead." he snorted in disbelief, causing Fang to shift uncomfortably.

Lightning stepped beside Fang, uncertain if the Lieutenant was going to try anything drastic.

"What was that thing?" Lightning asked. The Lieutenant sharply turned to stare at her.

"I don't know…" He raised his hands in the air, "I was never briefed about anything like _this _happening," He frowned. "It wasn't supposed to happen like this."

Lightning called for Snow who appeared a moment later. He had heard the entire exchange, deciding to stay close in case she needed him.

"Watch him." Lightning pointed to the Lieutenant and grabbed Fang's arm, dragging her out of the tent, not wanting to leave her alone.

She approached a Private who sat silently by the fire, his eyes haunted, "Where is the Sergeant?"

"Right here, Sir."

Fang and Lightning turned around, seeing the Sergeant approach them with caution.

"Deanna Jordan, Sir." The woman swallowed, Lightning's hard glare making her nervous.

She ordered the Sergeant to follow her into her tent.

"Are you aware of the Lieutenant's clandestine orders?" Lightning circled the Sergeant like a predator looking for blood.

"No, Sir. My orders were to protect you on this expedition."

Lightning closely scrutinized the Sergeant for a minute or two, trying to decipher if she was lying. She glanced at Fang who nodded her head in satisfaction.

"You are taking command of the squad," she watched the Sergeant's eyes widen, "Lieutenant Galvin is under arrest. Do you understand?"

The Sergeant nodded, a bit confused by the sudden turn of events but not daring to ask.

Lightning returned to the tent, the Sergeant and another Private flanking her side. She watched as they handcuffed the Lieutenant, and led him back to one of the vehicles.

She walked back to her tent, Fang and Snow treading behind her.

"What's going on?" Vanille looked at Fang, noticing the grim expression on her face.

"She can fill you in later, " Lightning interrupted, "We're leaving. I have a bone to pick with the General."

She walked back into her tent and began to gather her belongings. She paused at the sound of Fang's voice.

"I'm not going with you."

She shoved her clothes into the sack, her movement jerky, "Where are you going to go?"

"Anywhere but back." She heard rustling behind her, knowing Fang had crossed her arms. "Didn't you hear him? They want me dead."

Lightning zipped her sack, feeling like she was having the wind knocked out of her, "We don't even know why those orders were issued. You could be in danger."

Fang chuckled not buying it. "No deal, Sunshine. I'll take my chances out here."

Lightning sighed heavily and turned around, the idea of leaving Fang behind breaking her inside, "I won't let anything happen to you," she promised.

Fang arched her eyebrow and smirked, "What? Are you going to fight off a whole army for me?"

Her joke was met with silence as Lightning's eyes tore into her; a sea of emotion with depths that spoke more than the soldier would ever dare. Fang tilted her head in surprise and Lightning flushed slightly, "If I have to."

Fang studied her, the look in Lightning's eyes causing an odd flutter in her chest. They both shuffled uncomfortably, finding themselves in brand new territory.

Hope walked into the tent, "Are we leaving yet?" He noticed Fang and Lightning watching each other intently and prayed he didn't just step into another heated exchange.

Fang's eyes never left Lightning, "Yes. We're all leaving."

Lightning sighed in relief.

* * *

><p>As always, feedback is appreciated :)<p> 


	9. Chapter 9

I hate the line breaks, so the XXXXXXX signifies a POV switch, or a pan out. Sorry in advance lol

* * *

><p>Solistaria walked through the grass, tasting the air. She tasted death, fear, quiet discord; it made her smile. The smile quickly turned to a scowl when she heard the quiet purr of engines approaching in the distance. Her minion had failed her. A simple task: destroy Fang, and he had failed. '<em>What did it take?'<em>

She glanced up and her eyes blazed in fury as she raised her hands, summoning her magic. The sky turned black as the clouds shrouded the sun and the ground quaked and shivered under her feet. A chasm ripped into the earth and two beasts emerged, answering her call like a siren.

She gritted her teeth and hissed in pain as she watched them crawl out of the fissure, dragging their claws over the dirt. They were bigger, stronger, and faster than the last; two of them. They waited patiently, growling and snarling at her. She smiled as she assessed with each of them, their crimson eyes reflecting the blood they craved. They loomed over her, their armor glistened her sinister reflection.

"They are approaching," she stated disinterestedly. "Kill them all."

The beasts screamed into the darkened sky and took off towards the approaching vehicles; two of them, one purpose.

* * *

><p>Lightning watched the terrain breeze by, like a photo flipbook. They had pulled out of the campsite hours ago, the other vehicles following closely behind. They had days of travel ahead of them and she wanted to get back as quickly as possible. She watched Fang out of the corner of her eye as the brunette chatted quietly with Vanille.<p>

"What are you going to do when we get back?"

Lightning turned to Hope as he waited for her answer. She could see the worry on his face, even though he tried to mask the concern.

She shrugged, unsure herself. "The General will be placed under arrest for ordering the assassination of a civilian."

"But you're not gonna go in guns blazin', right?" Sazh asked. He really didn't want to see Wanted posters with her mug shot plastered all over town, even though, in his opinion, the General deserved whatever was coming to him.

Snow snorted. "Why not?"

Lightning grinned. Snow had been a huge support to her these past few days and even though she'd never, ever admit that to him, she was sure he knew it, somewhere deep down in that thick head of this.

The others chuckled in response to her grin and Sazh frowned, not feeling any better.

"I think it's going to rain," Vanille muttered after the chuckles subsided.

They all glanced up at the sky, noting how dark and ominous it looked. Fang's brow knitted in confusion, she didn't recall seeing any storm clouds in the horizon. She was thrown to the side as the vehicle began to violently shake, throwing everyone off balance. The truck came to a screeching halt and the six of them tumbled into each other.

Fang grabbed the railing as the earth around them continued to quake and rumble beneath their feet.

"An earthquake?" Vanille looked at her, slightly alarmed.

Fang stood up, swaying back and forth as she tried to balance herself. Her eyes widened as the ground split into cracks around them, like tiny veins splitting in each direction. The shaking finally stopped and she jumped off the truck, holding her hand out to Vanille.

"Sir, the vehicles won't start." Lightning turned to the young Private that had been driving the vehicle, "I think the quake caused some kind of electrical interference."

Lightning sighed in annoyance, causing the Private to gulp. "I mean, we can fix it but we'll be delayed for a few hours."

She nodded, purposely relaxing her shoulders, she didn't want the young Private thinking she blamed him. "Start the repairs and let me know when you're done."

Lightning continued to survey the surrounding area and the broken terrain around them. The sky was dark and gray, and static cackled through the air, raising the hairs on the back of her neck. '_This isn't right._' She felt uneasy and began to slowly pull her gunblade out of her holster.

"Right there, stop." Sazh pointed to her gunblade, "Every time you do that, something bad happens."

"Not again." Hope scrambled off the vehicle, pointing to the distance.

They all turned, seeing a beast running straight towards the stopped vehicles.

Sazh groaned in dismay as he pulled his pistols out.

"Don't get too excited," Fang dryly noted as watched the approaching beast far in the distance.

"Same kind, huh?" Snow climbed back on the vehicle, preparing the turret.

"Bigger." Lightning watched as the beast sprinted towards them, idly twisting her gunblade in her hand.

Fang arched her eyebrow and grinned at Lightning. "Not the size that counts."

Sazh shook his head; it wasn't the time for levity. "Quit that. That's death and destruction comin' this way."

"Sir!"

Lightning turned around and watched as the Sergeant quickly approached her, trying not to run.

"Sir, another crea-"

"Ready the turrets on the other vehicles and keep the men back." Lightning raised an eyebrow at the Sergeant, daring her to argue. As far as she was concerned, the entire squad should run for cover, she didn't want to see the death toll rise any more than it already had.

"Yes." The Sergeant gave up pretense of formality, running back to the other vehicles in a slight panic.

"Remember," Fang began, "aim for the neck."

The beast stopped a short distance away, knowing his brother was not too far behind. He began pacing back and forth impatiently as he assessed the group. He pulled his lips back revealing rows of canines; the smell of flesh and fear driving him into frenzy. It was a feast that awaited him, and he was famished.

All three vehicles opened gunfire as the beast ran towards them. It grunted as each bullet made impact, like tiny fire ants crawling over its skin; but it wasn't enough.

"I think we're just making him mad!" Snow yelled. He leaped off the truck and rolled underneath it as the beast jumped on the turret. It snapped the turret off the base with one large swipe and jumped on another truck in a single bound, catching a young Private as he tried to scramble out of the way. The beast quickly shredded into his neck, throwing him off the truck.

Hope launched his boomerang directly towards the beast's head, nicking its neck. It howled in pain and turned around, the soldiers long forgotten. Its eyes fell on the young boy as he caught his weapon in his gloved hand.

"Not good," Hope gulped, stepping back as the beast went from standing upright to all fours. It huffed and began charging towards him; the ground rumbling underneath its pounding limbs. Hope scrambled back, watching as Vanille quickly pitched her arm forward. The hooks on her rod went sailing past her head and sank into one of the creature's ears, jerking its bulbous head to the side. It howled in pain and abruptly changed directions, its red eyes landing on the petite redhead.

"Uh oh." Vanille took several steps back and bumped into Sazh as he opened fire. The creature laughed as it caught scent of her fear and leaped into the air.

Fang quickly intercepted, standing between her two companions and the air-borne beast. She gouged her lance into the beast's chest and grunted, feeling her lance bend with the immense weight of the creature's torso resting on it. "Ya like that?"

The beast moaned in pain, waving its giant claws in her face, trying to dislodge against her lance. Fang fell back as bullets whizzed past her hair. "What the hell?"

"Yup, sorry." Sazh quickly holstered his pistols, his eyes widening as he saw a second beast running towards them. "Two?" He grabbed Vanille and began running backwards, passing a stunned Lightning. "You deaf? There's two of 'em!"

"I'll keep this one busy," Fang muttered. Her eyes narrowed into slits as the first beast continued to snarl at her. She mustered a deadly smile as it watched her warily, blood slowly oozing out of the wound in its chest.

XXXXXXX

Lightning's eyes widened as she watched the second beast make a beeline for her. She dodged out of the way and dropped to the ground just as the beast smashed into the side of the truck, the metal groaning as it was dented. She stood up and stumbled into the ground again, dirt and dust rising to the air. The soldier looked over her shoulder and saw her foot encased in the beast's paws as it lay on its belly, still dazed from its impact into the truck.

"How does..." Lightning lifted her leg back as her fingers clawed into the dirt, "my boot _taste_!" and slammed the heel of her boot into the creatures face. She grinned, satisfied when she heard a loud crunch and pop. The beast recoiled, shaking its head in pain and the grip on her foot was released.

"Head's up!"

Lightning stood up, watching as Snow pounced on the prone beast's back. He wrapped his arms around its large, thick neck, trying to choke it. The beast stood up, lifting Snow several feet off the ground. It snapped its jaws angrily and began pounding its spine into the truck, over and over again.

"Not…" he grunted in pain as his back continued to slam against the truck. He felt like each of his ribs were slowly cracking but he continued to tighten his grip on the creature's neck. "Not…letting go…"

The beast continued to pound into the side of truck, roaring in anger and Lightning thrust her gunblade into the beast's stomach, piercing through its armor. The creature's forearm shot out in retaliation and connected with her chest, sending her sprawling back several feet and sliding through the dirt.

With renewed strength, the beast grabbed the strong arms around its neck and bent over at the waist, launching Snow off its back like a piston. He smashed into Hope, who was readying his Boomerang, and they both crashed to the ground.

"Geez, you're heavy," Hope grunted, shoving Snow off.

"Shut up," Snow groaned, rubbing his back. They both sat up and panicked as they saw the monstrosity running straight towards them, so fast it was almost a blur. The creature immediately tripped when Vanille tore her weapon into its foot, wrapping the wires around its leg. The beast went crashing to the ground, skidding past Hope and Snow in a cloud of dust and debris.

"Hey, stop it!" Vanille cried out as she found herself being dragged along with the sliding beast, its weight and momentum propelling them both forward. She dug her heel into the dirt in vain, skidding on the balls of her feet as the beast continued to slide.

"That looks fun." Sazh watched as the beast went skidding across the grass; roots and weeds tumbling in its wake. He saw Vanille sliding along not too far behind, refusing to let go of her entangled weapon and chuckled at the expression of dismay and fury on her face.

XXXXXXX

Fang continued to circle the first beast, trying to find an opening as it continued to snap at her. It was being extra cautious, still sore from her earlier attack.

"C'mon, don't be shy now," she taunted.

The beast grunted in annoyance and lashed out with its claws, saddened when it did not seize or graze any of her flesh. Fang took the opening and stabbed her lance into the beast's shoulder again. It paused, surprised with her swiftness and Fang took the opportunity to stab it once more but the creature quickly grabbed her lance, trying to wrestle her from it.

She refused to let go and the creature lowered its head to her face, its sour breath making her brow furrow in disgust. The creature shoved into her, pushing her back and she tripped against a loose stone. She lost her balance and landed on her rear, looking up just in time to see the beast looming over her as it shoved her onto her back.

Its red eyes turned gleeful as it slowly licked its lips, moving closer and closer towards her. It wrenched her lance from her hands and slowly began crawling towards her. This one was trouble, and it would savor every ounce of her flesh because of it.

"Get off," she snarled, trying to twist away, sickened as droplets of saliva fell on her forehead.

Lightning's eyes widened as she watched Fang under the first beast.

"Fang!" She broke into a sprint and launched into the air, intent on sinking her blade into the beast that was on top of Fang. She never landed on her target, though. She blinked a moment later, finding herself thrown mid-air by the first beast as it rushed to protect its brethren.

"Cute," she muttered. She fell to the ground and slowly sat up, her whole body aching. She frowned, noticing her gunblade lying several feet away. She stood up and began running towards her weapon until she noticed a grey blur pounding towards her. She rolled away as the other beast made a dive for her. She began running towards one of the vehicles with the creature snapping at her heels.

XXXXXXX

Hope quickly launched his Boomerang again, hitting the beast on top of Fang. Its head snapped to the side at the force of his weapon and it turned to him, annoyed with the interruption. Fang took the opportunity to grab her fallen lance and stab the beast in the chest again. It howled in pain and she twisted on her back, throwing the beast off balance and over her shoulder.

The beast flipped back up and turned to Hope just in time to watch the young boy throw his Boomerang again. A large, muscular paw shot up, catching the Boomerang. The beast snapped it in half, laughing as the young boy grimaced at the display of brute strength. It began running towards him.

XXXXXXX

Lightning quickly opened the door to the truck, the first beast hot on her heels. She crawled inside the cab and it followed her, not able to fit inside with its large, bulky shoulders. It shook the truck up and down, trying to reach for her, tearing into the seats and the steering wheel. It suddenly screamed in pain slamming into the cab ceiling in rage.

"Damn," Sazh grunted, standing from atop the cab, over the beast's neck. He tried to drive Lightning's gunblade deeper into the beast's neck, his stomach a grimace as he watched the flesh churn and redden under his ministrations. "Heavy sword."

Lightning reached behind her, not taking her eyes off the creature in front of her as it cried and huffed in pain. She grasped the handle to the door and unlatched it, falling to the ground with a loud oomph, "It's called a _gunblade._"

Sazh chuckled at the dry tone in her voice – only Lightning. His chuckling subsided when he saw the second beast running towards him. He leapt off the cab, rolling to the ground just as the beast landed in his stead, the top of the truck slightly caving in. It gently removed Lightning's blade from its brother's neck. It snarled in fury, brandishing the blade and throwing it directly at the first person it saw. Both beasts looked at each other, deciding that for the time being, the soldiers were an easier meal.

XXXXXXX

Lightning watched in seemingly slow motion as her own blade flew towards her face. She found herself frozen in surprise and a bit of panic as the metal gleamed, gaining velocity as it flew straight for her. She appreciated the irony in finding herself on the other end of her gunblade.

"Get down!" Fang jumped on top of her, both of them flying to the ground as the soldier's gunblade whooshed past them and landed with a loud clang, sticking out of the dirt. Fang raised herself on her hands, looking down at Lightning. She arched an eyebrow, "It is _Lightning_ isn't it? Cause that was some seriously slow reactio-"

"Shut up." Lightning interrupted, not in the mood to hear it. She rolled her eyes in annoyance as the brunette's weight settled on her body, "You can get up, now," she grumbled. She gritted her teeth as she began to feel the effects of having the brunette's lower body nestled against hers.

Fang shook her head in annoyance, too irked to notice the effect she was having on the pink haired solider. She shifted her hips to drive her point home, missing the slight widening of Lightning's eyes. "No, I think I'll just take a _nap_ right here. How about a 'Gee Fang, thanks for saving my slow as-'

"HEY!" Sazh ran over to them, misreading the situation. "What the hell are you two doing?" He shook his head in disbelief at the two women lying on top of each other. He knew there was tension between them, and he suspected…but that didn't excuse… _right here_ in the middle of a big fight? _In front_ of everyone? He grabbed his head, praying for patience, "We're fighting for our lives!" He pointed his pistols at both of their faces, "And you two…are…" he shook his head, slightly flustered, "Whatever you're doing, it's not a good time!"

Fang looked down at Lightning who was still lying beneath her. She finally noticed the blush that had crept into Lightning's cheeks, proudly glowing for everyone to see, much to the soldier's embarrassment. Fang couldn't help but chuckle as she looked down at their bodies and briefly wondered what possessed her to continue to pin the solider to the ground. She slowly stood up, hearing Lightning's quiet sigh of relief.

The brunette frowned as she watched both beasts run towards the scattered soldiers, deciding that for the time being, the young men were easy quarry.

"This isn't working, Sunshine." Fang began running towards the bikes on the back of the last truck, realizing what they needed to do.

Fang mounted the bike and grinned in triumph when it turned on. She lurched forward, flying off the back of the truck, "Never did get used to these…" She propelled forward and began driving tight circles around one of the beasts, just before it could sink its teeth into a young soldier. It watched her, annoyed with her interruption.

XXXXXXX

Lightning stood up about to ask Fang what her plan was when she heard the rumbling engine of one of the bikes. Her eyes widened when she saw Fang distract the beast and lead it away from the battlefield.

"Good plan. We need to separate them." Sazh watched as the beast chased after Fang.

"Unbelievable. By _yourself_?" Lightning grumbled under her breath, running towards the second bike.

Sazh shook his head once more as he watched Lightning dash towards the second bike. He nodded at Snow and Hope as they stopped next to him. "Gotta separate the beasties - those two can handle themselves."

Vanille watched as one of beasts ran after Fang, its feet pounding into the ground in fury. She quickly ran towards Lightning who was in the process of mounting the second bike.

"I'm going to help Fang. Are you going to be okay?" Lightning asked as she began to rev the engine.

"Yeah. One, we can handle." Vanille quickly grabbed her arm before she could take off after Fang, "Please be careful, both of you."

Lightning nodded. "Tell the others we'll be back." She lurched off the back of the truck, accelerating to catch up with Fang.

* * *

><p>Thank you for the reviews and input, I appreciate them.<p> 


	10. Chapter 10

Fang turned her head, looking over her shoulder. She saw the beast pounding after her, its limbs stretching in and out as it galloped after her, slowly gaining momentum. She could barely see the vehicles in the distance and was convinced she had led the beast astray long enough.

She veered a sharp left, gripping the handles as the cognispeeder tilted perilously close to the ground. She quickly accelerated a few feet back into the air, dirt and dust rising in a cloud underneath the bike as she shifted gears. Fang looked further, noticing a cliff several yards ahead. The brunette risked another glance behind. "Where did you go?" she mumbled, not seeing the creature anywhere.

Fang was startled as the beast suddenly crashed into the back of her cognispeeder, sending them both crashing to the ground. She went tumbling off the bike, stones and grass cutting into her arms and legs. '_Bastard, jumps like a flea,_' she mused as she clawed into the dirt, trying to stop skidding. She managed to stop a few feet before the cliff ended and ducked out of the way as the cognispeeder passed her, spinning on its side and sailing off the cliff into oblivion.

"Great," she groused, slowly standing up. Now what was she supposed to do? She watched the beast further away as it glared at her; satisfied it finally had her cornered. It stood to its full height, a sneer settling on its grotesque features. It raised its scaly, black arm, and flourished its large claws, trying to intimidate her.

Fang grabbed her lance, twirling it in her fingers. She crouched low, her green eyes flaring in preparation. "Let's dance, then?"

The beast snorted in derision, lowering itself on all fours and huffed. It began hammering towards her; it was not going to be fooled again.

Fang stiffened, shifting her legs, ready to dodge out of the way as soon as the dumb thing launched itself at her.

The creature stood up on its hind legs just before it reached her, sliding on its paws with an admirable display of balance. Its looming shadow cascaded over her and she quickly shifted her strategy, realizing the beast was trying to fake her out.

Fang's eyes widened as she tried to side step the creature but its towering frame didn't give her much room to move. She couldn't jump back, she was too close to the cliff so she dodged to the side, trying to roll out of the way. She yelled out in surprise when it caught her sandal, swinging her around mid-air and slamming her into the ground on her belly.

"UGH, that hurt," she groaned, trying to get up. She let out another huff as she was pushed back into the ground, the beast's enormous foot pinning her. She heard a warning growl from behind her, daring her to try again. Fang struggled more, but found she couldn't get enough leverage, not when she was on her stomach. A deathly silenced filled the air and Fang closed her eyes, _'Just like that, huh.'_

The beast was past jeering, this one was a formidable opponent and it would make her demise swift and painless. The beast stood over her, raising its arm back and extending its claws, ready to sink them into her back.

Shots rang out in the distance, striking the beast's paw with precision. Fang and beast turned their heads in surprise and the beast twisted its head and roared as several more shots landed on its face and neck. It shifted the weight off the foot on Fang's back to its other leg, trying to balance itself.

Lightning flipped her gunblade back and shifted to a higher gear on the bike. She gripped the handles, her knuckles white, as she observed the scene before her. Brow knitted in anger, she bent over, ready to barrel into the beast.

Fang lifted her arms, digging her fist into the ground and lifted her torso with a mighty heave, "Looks like today just isn't your day." She grunted from the exertion and the beast let out a surprised bark as it wobbled to the side.

It growled once more, ready to slam her back down until it cried out in pain as Lightning rammed into its body with her cognispeeder.

The beast went crashing on its side as Lightning continued to use her bike as a heavy weapon, shoving it across the ground. She shifted gears into reverse and crashed into the beast again as it lay on the ground, shielding itself with its arms.

"You okay?"

Fang stood up and began dusting herself off. "Yup, just couldn't keep away, could you?" she shouted, shuffling to her feet and dusting herself off.

Lightning snorted at the comment. She shifted into reverse just as a large arm shot out, grabbing the cognispeeder in the front, tilting it towards the ground. The engine grinded in protest as it tried to remain propelled in the air despite the beast pushing the front end down. Lightning quickly grabbed her gunblade as she found herself face to face with the beast from above the handles.

"You just don't give up," the soldier grumbled, trying to strike the beast from her awkward position on the bike. The beast lifted one hand off the bike, grabbing her gunblade as it sliced into its paw. It grunted in pain, wrapping its paw around her blade, blood tricking from between its fingers. Wrenching it from Lightning's grasp, the creature tossed the blade over the cliff behind them like an afterthought.

Fang came up ran from behind, ready to stab into the back of its neck. A mangled paw shot out, grabbing her lance, right before she could make the fatal blow. The beast rapidly shoved Lightning's cognispeeder back, throwing the bike off balance and turned to Fang, pushing her several feet back. She tripped and fell near the edge of the cliff. It ran and leaped towards the brunette, ready to land on her when Lightning revved the bike one last time, flying in front of the beast.

"Light!" Fang yelled out, watching as the soldier and the beast collided in front of her with a loud clash of metal and bone. She watched helplessly as Lightning tumbled off the bike and hit her head on the dirt with a dull thud, rendering the soldier unconscious.

The beast slowly stood up, shaking away the pain and kicked the contorted cognispeeder to the side. It cracked its head to the side with a loud pop as it observed the soldier near his feet, unconscious. It locked eyes with Fang; he finally tasted her fear. She cared for this one and he was going to make this very personal. The beast laughed as it kicked its foot back and launched Lightning off the cliff.

Fang saw it in slow motion, a million thoughts flying through her head as she watched Lightning plunge off the cliff. She thought of Vanille, of the others, hoping they were okay. She wondered why this creature was so hellbent on destroying each of them and most of all, she found herself genuinely terrified. Not for herself but for Lightning. She quickly scrambled to her feet, acting on pure instinct, and dove over the cliff, after the soldier.

XXXXXXX

"KILL IT!" Sazh ran around one of the vehicles, shouting at Hope who had climbed on top of another turret, "Those things are useless!"

Hope shrugged his shoulders at him, what did the old man expect? His Boomerang was in pieces. "You have anything better?" he shouted from behind the massive machine gun. Sazh made a rude gesture at him. "Thought so!"

Snow picked up two fallen guns, running and firing at the beast as it continued to chase the terrified soldiers. The beast simply ignored him, as if he was a pesky insect. He rubbed his forehead, they had been doing this for a while and from the look of it, it was going to go on a lot longer.

Vanille ducked behind one of the other vehicles, worry creasing her features. They couldn't seem to distract the beast; apparently it didn't want to deal with them yet. She turned around, noticing the Lieutenant run towards her in a frantic panic.

"You have to uncuff me!"

Vanille groaned, "Great."

She began jogging towards Sazh, the Lieutenant chasing after her, "Please! This thing is running around and I can't even defend myself!"

"That's a good one." She snorted. Uncuff him? Did he hit his head? He was ordered to kill Fang, why would she uncuff him? As far as she was concerned, he was a bigger threat to her than that monster-thing was.

"Get away from her." Sazh stepped in front of Vanile, shoving the Lieutenant back. He landed on the ground, grunting as his hands were squished against his back. Hope lifted the Lieutenant back on his feet, grabbing his arms and locking him in place.

"I'm not trying to hurt her!" he pleaded, slightly struggling, "My men are out there!" His brown eyes snapped shut as a black barrel appeared in his field of vision, effectively silencing him.

"You should have thought of that," Snow shoved the barrel into the Lieutenant's forehead, nearly bruising his reddened skin, "before you dragged them into this expedition."

The Lieutenant sighed; he was having his own second thoughts about the entire mess. He was angry at the General, sending everyone in here as collateral, not even telling him what they were up against. "Please. Let me help."

The redhead watched the Lieutenant carefully. She felt he was being sincere, but, he would have taken Fang out in a heartbeat given the opportunity – that was one thing she could never forgive. Vanille crossed her arms and tilted her head as an idea struck her. It seemed plausible; of course when it came down to it, they didn't really have any other options. "You can be bait." She nodded her head in satisfaction.

The Lieutenant's jaw dropped, eyeing her like she had just escaped a mental institution, "BAIT? Kid, are you nuts?" He slowly began to back away from them, regretting even getting out of the vehicle in the first place. Hope shoved him back in place, smirking at Vanille; boy was he glad he wasn't in the Lieutenant's shoes.

Sazh glanced at Snow, ignoring the Lieutenant's cries of protest. Snow was rubbing his stubble, pondering the idea. They all grinned, why not?

XXXXXXX

Fang pinned her arms to her side, streamlining her body so she could catch up with Lightning as they fell from the cliff. She clenched her jaw as the wind stretched her skin back, her hair whipping around her face. She slowly gained momentum and was able to maneuver herself to catch Lightning.

"Gotcha!" She grinned, hugging the freefalling soldier close to her body. The grin quickly turned to a frown, "Now what?" She watched as they plummeted towards the earth, the cliff being much higher than she ever anticipated. "Not our best moment, Light." She shook her head, wishing the soldier was awake to make a snide remark or blush at how tightly she was pressed against Fang.

The Oerban shut her eyes, her brain going into overdrive, they weren't meant to die like this and she found herself hugging Lightning closer to her. Fang's eyes shot back open as she remembered something. She grabbed Lightning's arm, fumbling with her wrist as they both continued to nosedive, '_How the hell do you turn it on?'_ She blindly ran her hand up and down the unconscious soldier's arm, hoping to activate the Grav-Con Unit. She laughed when she heard an electronic cackle, like sweet music to her ears, and they were both encased in blue streaks as the device activated.

They fell towards the earth and landed on the ground with a loud whoosh as the Grav-Con Unit manipulated the gravity around them, allowing them to survive the fall.

"I love Cocoon technology." Fang looked up, nearly fainting in surprise when she saw the beast falling from the summit of the cliff, diving straight towards them. She grabbed Lightning by the shoulders, pulling her out of the way just as the beast landed within the residual gravity force field, safely and unharmed.

"You've got to be kidding!" Fang yelled angrily.

XXXXXXXX

"Do what, now?" The Lieutenant watched the four civilians standing in front of him, skepticism clear on his face. "You want me to…" he trailed off, unsure if he heard correctly. That was the great plan? He was supposed to rush up to the beast and start _yelling_ at it? That was… "That's suicide!" He yelled, "Why don't you just strip me naked and paint me in blood too, while you're at it?"

Vanille wrinkled her nose in disgust as the image rushed into her head. She made a soft noise a moment later and tilted her head to the side, considering his words. "Hey," she began, "that would definitely get its atten-"

"No, no. Forget it. Fine." The Lieutenant quickly consented, scowling at Vanille.

She frowned, "You're wasting valuable time. Just get its attention and come back here. We'll be hiding behind the vehicle."

"Go on, now." Sazh motioned him off, "Chop, chop." He paused, thinking, "And don't even think about tryin' to get out of those handcuffs."

The Lieutenant looked at the younger boy, he seemed reasonable, he seemed sane. Hope just shook his head; no sympathy there.

Snow walked forward, grabbing the Lieutenant by his shoulder and shoving him back, "What are you waiting for? Go!"

The Lieutenant groaned and turned around, slowly jogging towards the beast.

XXXXXX

Fang grabbed her lance, now she was angry. No, now she was furious, and now she wanted blood. She looked down at Lightning, making sure the unconscious woman was a safe distance away. She was worried about the soldier but she didn't have time check on her. Not with this ugly, disgusting, unrelenting, "Stupid, idiotic, pesky lizard-man-dog, in my way!" she spat out, finishing the last half of her mental rant in a near snarl, her voice heavy with wrath.

The beast frowned, as much as it could with its large mouth and rows of teeth; it actually had the gall to look offended at her apt description of him.

"Good. I'm going to kill you," Fang declared, seeing that the beast understood some of her insults. She wasted no time and began charging at the beast, her green eyes glowing in fury.

XXXXXXX

The Lieutenant gulped, cautiously approaching from behind. He looked over his shoulder, seeing the four civilians wildly gesturing him to move closer in. He sighed, watching the beast pace back and forth with its back to him, wondering which soldier it should kill next.

"H-Hey…" he mumbled, his voice shaky. He straightened up, "Hey! You!"

The beast suddenly paused, mid stride, its ears perking up. It slowly turned around, saliva dripping out of its mouth. It watched the Lieutenant, slightly confused, his food was addressing him?

"Yeah! You're ugly!" The Lieutenant shrieked, nearly blacking out when the beast began growling at him. It dragged its paw across the dirt as it took a slow step forward, standing on its back legs and straightening its spine.

The Lieutenant's eyes slowly followed the beast to its full height, his neck straining to meet its red eyes. He swallowed again, his throat going dry and he took a step backwards, caught between pleading for mercy and screaming for help.

"You…" he quickly turned around and began running, "COWARD!" he yelled over his shoulder. An unearthly howl pierced his ears and thundering footsteps drummed after him.

XXXXXXX

Fang quickly flipped back, dodging another attack with surprising ease. She ran towards the beast again, landing a series of quick jabs with her lance across its chest, forcing it into a defensive stance. The beast's arm shot out, trying to throw her back and she quickly evaded the punch, stabbing its under arm as large claws sailed past her face. She followed up with a vicious front kick into its stomach and the beast stumbled backwards into a tree as the wind was knocked out of its lungs.

"You're going to die," she growled, shoving her lance into its shoulder, ignoring the grunt of pain she heard. She quickly pulled her lance out and stuck it under the creature, knocking its feet off the ground. It landed with a thump, finally head to head with her. With a loud yell, she slammed the heel of her hand into its face, hearing a loud crunch.

"You won't need those, anymore," she sneered. The Oerban barely saw the several canines that dropped out of its mouth, like pennies out of a coin machine. She barely considered where her sudden speed and strength came from but she embraced it, because she was going to kill this _thing_, this _thing_ that had tried to kill her, Lightning, Vanille, all of them. It threw Lightning off a cliff, with complete disregard for her safety, they could have been killed. Not anymore, not now.

The beast shook its head, trying to shake the pain away. It felt blood oozing down its arm, its chest; its mouth thick with the metallic taste of his own blood. His bloodshot eyes met her glowing green; he realized her eyes reminded him of his mistress.

"Back where you came from." Fang picked her lance up again, throwing her entire body into a single, final thrust, through the beast's neck. She mustered everything she had, everything she felt and envisioned herself opening a large, gaping hole into its neck, silencing it forever.

The ground shook and trembled and the sky dimmed as she pierced his neck. The beast screamed and flinched in agony. It took one last dying breath, and closed its eyes. She never noticed the large rift she had opened that was swirling behind her. Her powers sliced through the fabric of the atmosphere in a swirling kaleidoscope of colors, the large fracture engulfing her and Lightning into blackness.

XXXXXXX

The Lieutenant scrambled towards the vehicles, and his heart skipped when he saw a tall shadow behind him. His shut his eyes, this was it. He was going to die.

"Get down!" Hope jumped out from the front of the truck and the Lieutenant took his queue, ducking to the ground as Vanille's hooks went soaring past his head and around the beast's neck behind him.

Snow and Sazh grabbed Vanille, all three of them heaving as the wires wrapped around the creature's neck. They pulled, trying to bring it to its knees.

Hope sprinted up to the Lieutenant, hastily helping him to his feet. "Nice work!" He ushered the surprised Lieutenant to the other side of the vehicle, "Wait here."

The other three found themselves in a tug o' war with the giant beast as it twisted its body around, trying to unwrap the wires and remove the hooks. It snapped its jaws, ignoring the pain around its neck and sprinted towards the three of them.

"Move!" Snow shoved Vanille and Sazh out of the way, but didn't give himself enough time. The beast landed on top of him, clawing into his calf and he yelled out in pain.

"Snow!" Sazh and Hope reached for him, terrified for the blonde. They tried to drag him away from its jaws but the beast snapped and snarled at them, unwilling to relinquish its hold on Snow.

Vanille ran up behind the beast, trying to capture its attention but it shrugged her off, too busy with elation from finally having caught one of them. All she could hear was the frantic yelling of Sazh and Hope and Snow's screams of pain as the beast continued to tear into his leg.

"Let him go!" she screamed, reaching out once more. A large fireball emerged from her fingertips, and she wondered where it had come from. Vanille felt the slow burn around her hand but she paid it no mind. She pushed the ball of fire into the wound on the back of the beast's neck, the scent of searing flesh making her nauseous.

The beast stood up, Snow forgotten, screaming in pain as it rolled on the ground, trying to find solace from the flames scorching its insides.

Sazh and Hope quickly pulled Snow away from the creature as it slowly burst into a blaze of fire, combusting from the inside. After a horrifying moment the beast finally fell to the ground, moaning in agony and died.

All three of them rushed to Snow, who was fainting from the blood loss. They gently propped him against a tire and Hope rushed to find him some water.

"This looks bad, he's losing too much blood," Sazh mumbled, ripping the cloth of Snow's pants open, revealing the large and deep gash covering most of his calf. He needed to make a tourniquet; he looked around for some clean cloth.

Vanille kneeled down next to Snow, watching as he faded in and out of consciousness. His face grew paler as he began to shiver. "Serah…" he groaned. Her hands shook as gently placed Snow's leg in her lap, ignoring the headache she had.

"Vanille, you'll kill yourself." Sazh tried to pull her back and Vanille shoved him away. He sighed; he remembered what healing Lightning's shoulder did to her. The amount of magic it took to bring that beast down coupled with healing Snow could be too much for the petite redhead.

"I have to try," she murmured, her eyes pleading into his. "He could die, there's nothing out here; it's just _us_."

Sazh punched the side of the truck in anger, "This is all sorts of messed up."

Vanille nodded and grinned but Sazh found no reassurance in it. She closed her eyes, hissing in pain as she felt the burn return; in her mind; in her fingers. She began taking deep, slow breaths, trying to fight off the nausea and throbbing pain that had settled in her stomach and head.

"That's good enough." Sazh gently pulled her away a moment later and she opened her eyes, seeing that she was able to stop the bleeding and mend most of the muscle and flesh back together. Sazh pulled her up; catching her as she collapsed in his arms and darkness took her away.


	11. Chapter 11

Fang squinted into the sunlight as it gently shook her awake. She slowly sat up, rubbing her forehead, what happened? She observed her surroundings as her memory kicked into gear. Her eyes widened, frantically searching around for beast. The brunette turned around, seeing the mass of it lying behind her, dead and lifeless. '_Good_'. She couldn't believe how much trouble that thing had given her and Light…Lightning!

Fang stood up, sighing in relief when she saw a tuft of pink hair peeking out of the long blades of grass a few feet away from her. She ran over and knelt down on one knee, lifting the solider gently into her arms, "Hey…"

Her brow furrowed in worry as she took in the mean gash on the side of Lightning's head, most likely given when she had fallen off the bike. She frowned, glancing over at the dead beast, _almost_ wishing it were alive so she could kill it again for doing this.

She placed her hand on the side of soldier's neck, closing her eyes in relief when she felt a strong, steady pulse beneath her fingers. She gently trailed her fingers down Lightning's cheek, brushing her hair to the side. She grinned at how unguarded and peaceful the soldier looked.

"Where's a camera when ya need one?" Fang chuckled, glad for once Lady Luck was on her side; if Lightning had woken up she'd probably lose a hand to the irate soldier, who would then proceed to beat her to death with it.

Just as lady luck would have it, Lightning's eyes opened; half lidded and Fang froze, feeling like she got caught with her hand in the cookie jar. She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the onslaught of yelling to start, but it never came.

"Bea..u.t..ful" Lightning sighed and mumbled, delirious from the concussion.

Fang cracked one green eye open and found that the soldier had shut her eyes again, promptly falling asleep. "Did you just call me, beautiful?"

Fang grinned and then quickly scowled, she could have meant the scenery, or the big tree behind her back. Or, her mind argued, she could have meant Fang, or, her mind kicked itself again, Lightning was completely delirious, incoherent and was mumbling nonsense. Fang sighed heavily again, filing it away for later teasing fodder against the soldier, regardless of the reason.

"Helluva time to take a nap." Fang tenderly placed Lightning down on the ground.

She stood up, looking around. Nothing looked familiar. She turned around, humming in surprise, "No cliff, that's interesting." It looked like they were smack in the center of a rainforest, "Yup, definitely not Gran Pulse." She crossed her arms as the last few moments before she blacked out flitted across her mind. She recalled… what was it? A another mini earthquake? A bunch of colors swirling around them?

Fang rubbed her forehead, a sinking feeling in her stomach. Did she do this? She glanced at Lightning, not expecting a response but finding comfort in being able to talk to her, "Where the hell are we?"

XXXXXX

"Ugh…" Snow groaned loudly, his entire body greeting him with a dull ache. "Uuugh…" His entire body was stiff and sore and he wondered if the beast didn't actually kill him.

"Shut up, you big baby."

Snow's eyes snapped open in surprise. He turned his head to the side, seeing Sazh reading a magazine next to him. He grunted in response, sitting up on the edge of the cot. He glanced down at his leg, seeing a large scratch on it instead of the large, deep wound it should have been.

"Vanille," Sazh explained, looking down at Snow's leg. "Hope's watching over her next door."

"Is she okay?"

"Yeah, just needs a lot of rest. Took a lot out of her." Sazh flipped a page and watched as Snow slowly stood up, testing his calf to see if he could stand on it. He gingerly put his foot on the ground, grinning when he didn't even wince in pain. He looked around the tent, realizing all the camping equipment was assembled.

"Lightning and Fang?"

"Still gone." Sazh put the magazine down, resting his elbows on his knees, "They haven't come back." He ran a hand through his hair, worry eating at his gut, "Yet." He forced himself to add. He didn't bother adding all the horrible ideas that had been tumbling around in his head as each hour ticked by with no sign of either woman.

Snow turned to him, his blue eyes crystal clear, unwilling to even ponder any other possibilities. "They'll be back."

XXXXXXXX

Fang walked a few feet ahead, unsure of where to go. Everything was a gigantic mess of huge trees and plants. She paused when her foot hit something metallic lying on the ground.

"Thanks for joining us," she mumbled, bending down to pick up Lightning's gunblade. Did she really just speak to that? She ambled over to Lightning, pulling out her holster and sheathing the weapon. They had to get out here, find some place safer, preferably near water until they could figure out what to do.

"Okay," she crossed her arms and cocked her hip to the side, addressing the sleeping soldier, "I'm going to pick you up and carry you." She waited for any kind of sign or protest from Lightning. Satisfied when she heard none, she walked over to the prone figure and cradled the still unconscious soldier to her chest, making sure Lightning's head was rested comfortably against the crook of her neck and shoulder. "And if you wake up and hit me, I'm going to drop you on your ass," she warned.

XXXXXXXX

Lightning slowly came to, feeling relaxed and warm. Sighing contentedly, she nuzzled further against her soft pillow. When was the last time she got to sleep in? She took a deep breath, inhaling the faint scent of earth and berries. She didn't recall Serah buying any incense like that; she'd have to ask her sister later. She snuggled in closer, rubbing her nose against the soft skin…wait, _skin_?

Lightning's eyes snapped open just in time to hear Fang awkwardly clear her throat. Fire rushed through her face and neck, when she realized that her comfortable pillow had been the brunette's neck and upper chest. Lightning looked down, seeing that she was burrowed in Fang's strong arms. She quickly jumped up and stumbled out of the brunette's arms, completely caught off guard.

"Wh-What the _hell_?" Lightning rubbed her head, feeling a headache come on; maybe she shouldn't have leaped out of Fang's arms like that. The ground tilted and swayed under her, and she tried to keep upright. Between the headache, the dizziness and the blushing, Lightning was pretty sure she should have just remained unconscious.

"Easy there, princess." Fang rushed over to her, ready to catch her in case she decided to faint again. She could still feel the sensation of Lightning nuzzling into her neck; the damn soldier nearly made her fall flat on her face when it began.

Lightning held her hand up, "I'm fine." She took a slow deep breath as the ground took pity on her and ceased its swaying. She glared at Fang who immediately crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow.

"What did you just call me?" Lightning looked at her, patiently waiting, even though Fang could clearly see the woman was shaking in her boots from irritation.

Fang placed her hands on her hips. "Princess." She paused, grinning when she saw Lightning's eye twitch. She continued a second later, shrugging her shoulders at Lightning's growing frown. "What? I've been carryin' ya around like royalty for a few hours now."

"Childish," Lightning muttered when Fang had finished. Her mind was still reeling, had she really been out that long? Where the hell were they?

Fang scoffed and pointed a finger at herself, "Me? I'm childish?" Lightning simply stared at her, as if to say, _'Who else would I be talking to?_'

The Oerban shook her head, sometimes she wanted to just strangle Lightning. The stubborn woman wakes up, has a fit over a silly nickname and doesn't even say 'Thank you' for all the trouble Fang had to go through. Her green eyes narrowed in frustration and she decided to pull out the big guns, if only to just make Lightning squirm. "Don't get all huffy on me, just because I caught you molesting my neck."

The jab had the intended effect as Lightning stared at her in shock, her face reddening at the accusation, "I wasn't-!"

Fang snorted. "You were. Not to mention cuddlin' against me."

Lightning rubbed her forehead, partly in irritation and mostly in embarrassment. "What did I miss?" Lightning asked, ignoring the brunette's previous comment.

"Killed the beast, fell off a cliff, and poof here we are." Fang's eyes narrowed, annoyed with the woman in front of her, "Saved your life again." She added, resisting the urge to jab a finger into Lightning's chest. She chose to omit her own suspicions – that maybe she accidentally brought them here. The line of questioning that would follow would break what little patience she had left and she really didn't feel like throwing down with the soldier right now.

Lightning's eyes narrowed at the Oerban's curt response to her. "Let's go." Lightning abruptly turned around, taking a slow, deep breath. "We need to find our way back to the others." She glanced at Fang, "Thank you for saving my life." She felt there was more that needed to be said but she wasn't sure how to begin or what she should even say.

Fang sighed softly, knowing that was probably all she'd get out of the introverted soldier, but she was still feeling slighted. She couldn't figure out why that was, maybe she was just happy Lightning was finally awake, that they survived another ordeal together, and hell, maybe she wanted to tell her how scared she was when it was all happening. Fang clenched her fists in frustration. She was confused; torn between wanting to fight with Lightning and wanting to simply give the soldier a big, warm hug. '_Why is this so complicated?'_ she wondered.

Fang followed her around a large tree, her voice a lighthearted lilt. "You owe me, Sunshine." She chewed her lower lip behind Lightning, wondering why she felt the need to push the issue.

Lightning rolled her eyes at Fang's playful tone as she jumped down a large stone. She had to hand it to Fang; she certainly knew how to lighten the mood, given everything they'd just been through. "I owe you?"

"Yup," Fang continued, her voice becoming a bit more serious, "Slayed a beast for you, found your gunblade." She paused, not realizing her tone had become a bit more somber as she relived each moment, "When that thing kicked you off the cliff…" Fang paused, her voice thick with relief as she remembered how the Grav Con Unit saved their lives. "Did I mention how glad I am you carry that gizmo around? I almost forgot you had it, thought we were goners for sure." She stopped speaking when she noticed Lightning had stood still, her back to her.

Lightning slowly turned around, studying Fang with intense blue eyes. Fang jumped off the cliff after her, without any kind of rescue plan? Not even knowing if she had her Grav-Con with her? She wasn't sure if she should yell at the Oerban for acting so reckless or interpret the actions as something else. The pink haired woman realized that Fang needed something from her, but what? She shifted her stance, leaning on her hip. Her cool blue eyes regarded Fang, noticing the taller woman's weary posture and the slight sag of her shoulders as an unbidden weight rested on them.

The brunette's brow furrowed as Lightning studied her, seemingly deep in thought; she wasn't about to get decked was she? She should have just shut up about the whole thing. They had bigger things to worry about, like, figuring out where they were and how they got here. Just as she decided to relay all this to Lightning, the pink haired woman walked forward slowly, as if coming to a decision of sorts. She stopped when she was right in front of the perplexed Oerban.

Fang's eyes widened in surprise, her breath catching in her throat as Lightning placed a hand on her shoulder, bringing the taller woman down to her height. She placed a soft, chaste kiss on her cheek, letting her lips linger against the reddened skin as the seconds slowly ticked by.

Fang nodded mutely, straightening up when Lightning had moved away. She still was trying to wrap her mind around what just happened. '_Did she just kiss me?_' She placed a hand on her hip and raised her eyebrow, asking the silent question.

Lightning responded with a ghost of a smile, causing Fang to chuckle lightly. They realized they were conversing in heavy layers, and a single word hadn't been said.

The soldier turned around, continuing to walk down the broken path of plants and grass as if nothing unusual just happened. "I get it," she said, referring to Fang's inner turmoil just moments ago.

Fang willed her feet to move again, still a bit floored. The slow burn on her cheek was the only evidence that what just happened wasn't some crazy dream. Whatever it was, it worked as her turbulent emotions settled into a peaceful calm for the time being. Lightning understood her. How worried she was, and that she cared. That was enough for now. A simple '_Thank you' _given as a kiss, from Lightning to Fang, it spoke volumes.

"Must have hit your head pretty hard," Fang commented as she ducked a large branch.

The soldier shook her head, not taking offense to the comment, not when Fang was the one finally blushing from head to toe for a change. "Maybe."

Fang carefully stepped over a fallen tree, laughing softly at the ambiguous response. "Stubborn woman."

Lightning waited until Fang had caught up to her. "I know."

Fang nodded gravely, her voice turning very serious despite the playful twinkle in her eyes. "And impulsive?"

"Yeah…"

"Quick to anger?"

"...I guess…"

"Slow on the uptake?"

"Don't push it, Fang."

"Just call 'em like I see 'em, Sunshine."

"Are you finished?" Lightning crossed her arms, tilting her head in annoyance.

"I'll let you know when I finish writing my list." Fang winked at Lightning and continued hiking through the trail.

"What _list?"_

* * *

><p>This is the end of Part I. Part II continues in the next chapter. :D<p> 


	12. Chapter 12

Sazh idly twisted his pistol around his finger for the fiftieth time. He glanced up at the bright sky, praying for patience as he watched Snow stalk impatiently around the campsite, kicking stones and dirt all over the place as his massive boots crunched into the grass. The older man glanced at the ground, almost hearing the flattened grass beg for mercy as Snow continued to pace on top of it.

"You're making me dizzy," Hope complained. He frowned as Snow abruptly stopped and turned his large frame to face the younger boy.

Snow clenched his gloved fists, ignoring him. He continued to pace around the campsite, his trench coat fluttering restlessly behind him, mirroring his current state of mind. Where were they? Why hadn't they come back yet?

Vanille sighed, worry creasing her features as she watched Snow's tense figure from the small chair she sat on. She understood why he was anxious, Fang and Lightning still hadn't returned. She'd stand up and pace with him but watching him prowl around was exhausting her.

"We have to find them." Snow turned to the other three as they wearily watched him.

Sazh shook his head and stood up. "Okay, hero." He walked over to Snow, unable to keep the cynicism out of his voice, "Where should we start looking?" He motioned with his hand, waving to one side and pointing to the large expanse of land that surrounded them, "Should we start there?" He lifted his other arm, pointing in the opposite direction, "Over there?" He slowly turned around, his fingers scanning the entire terrain of nothingness that seemed to stretch on for miles and miles, "Where do we start _looking_?"

Snow huffed, watching Sazh turn around, driving his point home. He got it, they didn't know where to start looking, but still, all they were doing was waiting. "It's been three days." He roughly brought three fingers up to Sazh's nose, causing the older man to cross his eyes slightly as he tried to focus on the large fingers waving around his face. "Three days. Something is wrong."

Sazh pushed Snow's hand out of his face and turned around, rubbing the back of his head as he observed the land before them. He had to agree, they should have returned by now, something must have happened. For the last three days, they all treaded carefully around each other, keeping conversations light and optimistic, one eye on each other and one eye in the distance, hoping to see Lightning and Fang riding on the bikes towards them. So far there was no such luck.

"I'm pretty sure I saw them go in that direction…" Vanille pointed in one direction, remembering as she watched Fang lead the beast away. She nodded her head, meeting Sazh's eyes. "We should head that way." She stood up, brushing her skirt off and walked over to Snow. She couldn't wait any longer, if they were going to pace, they may as well do it together, in the right direction.

"What if they come back and we're gone?" Hope asked.

Snow crossed his arms stubbornly. He hadn't considered the possibility.

"How about a note?" Vanille ran into her tent and emerged with a pen and a paper.

Sazh crinkled his brow at her, trying to see if she was pulling their legs. "A note? You want to go off in the middle of nowhere and leave a note behind?" He tried to hold the amusement in his voice but was failing miserably, "Dear Fang and Lightning," He pretended to scribble imaginary letters into the air, "out lookin for ya, be back later? P.S. Sit tight and try not to kill each other?"

"Okay." Vanille walked up to him and stared hard, her mouth a firm line. She was fed up with all of the negativity. "What's your brilliant idea? Hmm?"

Sazh took a step back and raised his hands in surrender. He wondered how someone so tiny could have such a mean glare. "Okay. What about the squad, then? Huh?"

"We'll come with you."

They all turned, seeing the Sergeant approach them, having heard the tail end of the conversation. She nodded, clearing her throat, "The Colonel is out there, and I don't think it would be wise to have anyone else separated from the group." She didn't bother adding that she figured they'd commandeer a vehicle or two and take the whole squad on in a brawl if they had to – not there was much left of a squad, but still. The tall blonde was the biggest out of everyone left and the petite redhead apparently wielded magic; she'd rather not get in their way.

Snow high-fived Vanille and grinned smugly over at Sazh. The redhead barely resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at Sazh who simply shook his head in exasperation. "Okay, fine, go write your damn note, Vanille."

XXXXXXXX

Lightning bent down, splashing cool water across her face from the small lake they had decided to camp by. She sighed, watching the sunset and admiring the vibrant colors that painted the sky. So far, they'd been lucky, no beasts around to try and kill them. Things had been quiet and while it was a nice reprieve, they still had no idea where they were or how long they'd been here.

Fang had given her more details on what happened. Apparently they somehow found themselves tossed in a portal after she killed the beast and, well, '_Here we are._' Lightning sighed, hoping the others were okay. They had been hiking for days through the brush; she didn't even know which direction they were traveling in anymore.

She heard footsteps behind her and didn't need to turn around. She knew it was Fang, it seemed like they were the only two people in this world. "Tired?"

Fang sighed, standing next to Lightning, and leaned against her lance. She didn't bother answering; knowing Lightning could see the circles under her eyes. The soldier was referring to the nightmares that had been haunting her these past few nights. They started on the first night, a faceless monster chasing her, laughing at her, taunting her. She woke up each time in a sweat, gasping in fear as Lightning leaned over her, trying to calm her down.

"Actually," Fang began, grinning slightly, "I think I'm turning into a blueberry."

Lightning snorted and chuckled in amusement. They hadn't seen a single animal out here, just plants and a lot of fruit. They had been eating berries for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She could tell the Oerban was getting grumpy from the lack of protein. Amodar had once told her an army marches on its stomach, and in Fang's case, it was very true.

"I'd even go for those…" Fang snapped her fingers, trying to remember that disgusting, vile military food that Lightning swore by.

"Rations?" Lightning dryly offered.

"I could tear into five of those right now."

"I'll cook you a nice meal when we get back." Lightning glanced at Fang, taking slight offense to the brunette's bewildered look. "What?" She asked defensively.

"Didn't know you could cook." Fang shrugged. She smirked a moment later as an image of Lightning in an apron and chef's hat flashed into her mind, slicing into meat with her gunblade. She snickered again and decided to share the image with Lightning who finally managed a small grin at the silly but entirely possible scenario.

Fang watched the sun slowly set across the lake as Lightning walked back to their makeshift camp to make a fire. She jabbed her lance into the dirt, her thoughts drifting to the soldier behind her. She still hadn't been entirely forthcoming as to why they were here. She didn't know herself but as the days droned on, she grew more and more confident that she was the reason they were stranded. She couldn't seem to find the right time to tell Lightning, and it was even harder because she had no idea how she opened the rift. "If I could figure out how to get us out of here," she muttered under her breath.

XXXXXXX

Fang tossed and turned that night, trapped again in a nightmare. Her eyes tightly shut as her lids darted around rapidly, her chest heaving in terror.

"_Tsk." _

_Fang tripped against a root, landing on the ground. She hissed in pain as she scrambled away on her stomach, feeling him approach, like a breeze against her back._

"_Tiresome thing, you are."_

_She clenched her eyes as a deep voice washed over her, the disdainful tone making her cringe. She rushed to get up, trying to run away but found she couldn't move, pressed down by an unknown force._

_She heard slow steps coming behind her as she struggled on her stomach. She watched leather shoes stand in front of her, followed by black slacks._

"_Surely you know how amusing this is? All this time, and you still fight me?" _

_Fang craned her neck, trying to see who the faceless man was. She saw him, finally putting a face to her nightmares and she felt anger wash over her. Anger at him, she hated him. She jumped up, fighting against the force that pinned her down. She sprung herself upon him, knocking him to the ground. She struggled against strong hands as she tried to strangle him. He cackled at her, his dark eyes dancing in mirth –_

"Fang! What are –" Lightning grabbed Fang's hands, struggling with the woman above her.

Fang shook her head in surprise, her grogginess still hazing the edges of her mind. Her eyes darted around, her breath haggard as she slowly came to. She looked down in surprise, noticing Lightning underneath her, looking a little angry and very alarmed. "Light? What happened?"

"You tell me." Lightning cringed, feeling a stone digging against her lower back. She studied the brunette above her. She had heard Fang moaning in her sleep again, tossing restlessly. She had crawled over to the brunette, ready to play her part in their nightly ritual for the past week when the brunette suddenly jumped up and tried to punch her. Lightning had managed to dodge the punch but then the Fang had pounced on her, flinging her entire body against Lightning and knocking them both to the ground.

"Nightmare?" Fang offered by way of explanation. "Sorry," she replied sheepishly. Her mind drifted back to the memory of the nightmare, it felt so real. She remembered his face, she still didn't know who he was but at least she knew what he looked like.

"I don't like getting jumped in the middle of night," Lightning carefully replied, tilting her head to the side, a bit distracted as Fang continued to rest on top of her.

Fang's brow furrowed in puzzlement, why was she looking at her so funny? Fang looked down, seeing her knees on either side of Lightning's hips. She arched an eyebrow suggestively, "Maybe after that meal ya cook me?"

Lightning raised an eyebrow at the brazen innuendo, for once not blushing. "Fang…" she began, struggling with the next few words, "why are your eyes glowing?"

XXXXXXX

Tapered, cracked fingernails gripped the note tightly and pale hands shook in anger. The eyes that scanned the note, read it over and over again, making sure the message was clear.

**Dear Fang and Lightning,**

**Out lookin for you, be back later!**

**P.S. Sit tight and try not to kill each other!**

**Love,**

**Vanille, Hope, Snow and Sazh.**

**P.P.S. Sazh needs to be more optimistic, don't you think?**

Solistaria shrieked in anger, stomping her foot on the ground like a petulant child. She shook the letter in her hand, her nostrils flaring at the offensive bubbly handwriting.

"Stupid!" She looked around the campsite, not seeing anyone around. '_Wonderful._' Her pets were useless, she wasn't about to summon another one, it drained her too much. She couldn't kill Fang herself, Questra would know she was running amok, trying to kill his precious tool. No, she had to go back to her own realm, get her strength back and think of something else. She crinkled the note in her hand and tossed it over her shoulder, promptly vanishing with a stream of curses under her breath.

XXXXXXX

Fang slowly stood up and held her hand out to Lightning. "What are you on about?" She blinked a few times, her eyes felt fine.

Lightning grasped her hand and pulled herself up. She stood in front of Fang as she picked up her gunblade, holding it to Fang's face so she could see her reflection.

Fang blinked in surprise, a bit startled by the brightness of her eyes. She rubbed her eyes with her hands and glanced at her reflection again. "So they are." She rubbed her eyes once more. "I have no idea why."

Lightning lowered her gunblade, standing closer to the brunette, peering into her eyes, barely noticing how close she was to the brunette's face. Fang swallowed as she watched the soldier study her eyes in slight fascination. Usually when Lightning was this close to her, it was because she wanted to pummel the Oerban, not stare into her eyes in captivation. Fang quickly ascertained she definitely preferred the latter. She soaked in Lightning's features, thinking how attractive she was.

"Well?" Lightning stepped back, waiting for the brunette to answer her question.

"What?"

"I asked you what you were dreaming about." Lightning placed a hand on her hip, trying to be patient, why was Fang so distracted?

"Same nightmare except I got to see his face this time." Fang turned away and sat down against the tree, crossing her ankles. "I attacked him…you…" Fang paused, feeling a bit guilty, "Sorry about that again."

Lightning shrugged, letting Fang know it wasn't taken personally. She'd slept through enough nightmares to know that there was a fine line between what was real and what wasn't. She found herself drawn to Fang's eyes again. She always liked the color of her eyes, but this glowing green was different, a bit eerie but striking nonetheless. In fact, her mind continued to wander, there was a lot about Fang she found quite striking, when the brunette wasn't bickering with her. She frowned at herself, pushing that train of thought out of her mind. "Suns almost up. Ready to go?"

"Sure thing, Sunshine." Fang smirked, standing back up and wondering how long her eyes would continue to glow.

XXXXXXXX

"This isn't good." Snow lifted the battered cognispeeder upright, waiting until two soldiers dragged it back to one of the vehicles.

Vanille gulped, peeking over the edge of the cliff and feeling a bit light headed. It looked like a very long, long way to the bottom. She didn't want to even think…

Sazh walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder, feeling how tense she was. He could almost hear the wheels grinding in her head as she imagined Fang and Lightning tumbling off the cliff and he felt the terror that seized her heart.

"Three words for ya…"

Vanille turned to the sound of his voice, her eyes in near tears.

"Grav-Con Unit." Sazh smiled at her and chuckled. "Lightning never goes anywhere without it."

Vanille's eyes brightened immediately as those three simple words lifted her heart in joy. She hugged him tightly, conveying her gratitude. Maybe they were okay after all.

"See, this old man's still got some optimism." He hugged her back and released her a moment later, "Don't think I didn't read that note."

Snow slapped Sazh across the back, causing the older man to scowl. Snow grinned cheekily, a bit too much for Sazh's liking. "Hopefully he's got more back than optimism." He pointed over the cliff.

Sazh looked down at the cliff again, barely seeing the bottom. He wasn't afraid of heights, but that was a huge drop. "What do you mean?"

Snow smirked at Vanille, who covered her mouth to hide her smile. "We're hiking to the bottom."

Vanille couldn't help herself; she laughed at the look of horror and dread on Sazh's face.

XXXXXXXX

Lightning and Fang both stopped simultaneously, staring at the large ancient temple that stood before them.

They had hiked well into the morning, finding a long winding path that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Lightning looked above the temple ruins, seeing most of the large sloping roof covered in vines as leaves and branches from the surrounding trees draped over the tiles. Large blocks of stone were haphazardly spread across the courtyard that lay before them.

"This is unexpected." Lightning slowly walked into the courtyard, unsheathing her gunblade as she continued to examine the ancient temple before her. She turned to look at Fang, noticing she wasn't beside her.

Fang's eyebrows knitted as she studied their surroundings, realizing that she'd seen this before. She couldn't even begin to understand how that was possible but she was certain she knew this place. '_Why does this look so familiar?_' She walked over to Lightning, thinking the soldier had the right idea in unsheathing her gunblade. She gripped her lance, as they both continued to walk through the stone path into the wide, open entrance of the ruins.

"Think anyone's home?" Fang looked around the hallway before them, littered with various decorations and statues donning the walls and the floor.

"Only one way to find out." Lightning walked down the hallway and into a large atrium, surrounded by massive columns of stone. She saw a lone table in the middle of the large room, companied by a single wooden chair.

Fang walked to one of the many torches surrounding every wall, lighting several of them. Then, she pulled the long red curtains away from the windows, allowing the sun to creep in, chasing away the shadows in each corner. "That's better."

She stood next to Lightning and studied the large tablets that stood in the room, noticing someone had carved writing into them, though it what language, they weren't sure.

"What is this place?" Lightning ran her fingers through the tablet, feeling the indention of each letter underneath her fingertips.

Fang frowned, unable to shake the familiarity, "Place of worship?" It certainly looked like it. She turned around, seeing a large bed in the corner, the bed sheets scattered on the floor, "Someone's home maybe?"

Lightning followed Fang's gaze, taking in the unkempt bed. Everything was so dusty. "I don't think they live here anymore." She walked around the large room and stepped out into the hallway. "I'm going to check the other rooms. Stay within hearing range," Lightning shouted out.

Fang nodded distractedly, standing closer to the tablets. She studied them closely, her lips moving as she tried to decipher the words. Her feet began moving on autopilot and she walked behind the large tablet, realizing that there were hand carvings on the back, and more importantly, it was in a language she understood.

She quickly began scanning the text, not making much sense of the garbled mess, each letter meshed into the next. Her eyes widened as she came across a single name, one that resonated deep within her. '_Questra._'

Fang stumbled back against the wall, as a flurry of images skirted across her mind, as the memory blanks she didn't even realize were missing, locked firmly into place. They were small memories, nothing big, not yet, but enough to leave her with a sinking feeling in her chest.

"_Why am I here?"_ _Fang looked at her surroundings, noticing the lack of color everywhere._

"_I picked you," Came the easy response._

_ XXXXX_

"_I'm not doing this!" Fang pointed her lance at him, wishing she could find a way out. She knew what he wanted her to do, and as long she was herself, she would never succumb to his wishes._

"_You don't have a choice," he snapped. His eyes hardened as he summoned three more beasts, their red eyes hungrily watching her. "Kill or be killed."_

_ XXXX_

"_I'll protect them, Lightning and Vanille, and the others," he promised, trying to reason with her._

_ XXXX_

_"__Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" Fang grinned at the pink haired woman before her, glad that her crazy idea worked, Lady Luck was back on her side. She needed to remember how this felt, finally seeing Lightning after all this time. She hadn't meant to summon Lightning right when she was in the middle of a battle with a Behemoth but she didn't have much time, Questra would soon be looking for her._

"_Fang?" Lightning stared at her in shock._

_ XXXX_

"_Is someone hurting you?" Lightnng had asked her._

"_No, it doesn't hurt, you being here helps." Fang smiled. It really did help, Lightning made her feel human. "He's trying to take my soul, Claire." _

_ XXXX_

"_There are no flowers here, Vanille. Just sit and talk with me." Fang nodded in encouragement at the redhead. She smiled at her fondly._

"_Okay, but, I don't like this place." Vanille frowned as she looked around the barren fields, finding the lack of color distasteful._

Fang collapsed on the stone floor, resting on her hands and knees, feeling like she was about to throw up. That's who he was? The man from her nightmares - that was his name, "Questra."

Fang felt air around her still as soon as the last syllable left her lips. Several of the torches blew out, as if a mighty gust of wind had entered into the room. She looked up, hearing loud clapping from across the room. Her eyes locked into his and she slowly stood up, watching him.

"Aha!" Questra smiled, slowing his clapping hands. "I've been looking _everywhere_ for you." He stood in the center of the atrium and gestured around the large room, "And to think, you were hiding right under my nose! In my own home."

Fang's eyes narrowed in anger, her knuckles turning white. She couldn't have aimed her rift in a different direction? Her eyes darted around the room, trying to find a way out. Maybe she should just barrel into him and try to kill him.

"Fang, is everyth –" Lightning paused by the doorway, staring at the tall man in the center of the room. She heard loud noises and had rushed down to make sure Fang was all right. Her eyes landed on Fang, seeing the brunette on the other side, clutching her lance tightly, her face contorted in rage.

"Oh _Fang_," Questra turned to Lightning, his eyes looking her up and down in approval. He glanced back at the brunette, seeing the Oerban's face blanch. "I see you've brought a guest," he sneered.

TBC

* * *

><p>Feedback is always appreciated :D<p> 


	13. Chapter 13

Lightning studied the tall and slender figure that stood between her and Fang. She cautiously stepped into the room, readying her gunblade. She had no idea who the dark haired stranger was, but Fang seemed to recognize him and from what the soldier could tell, he was definitely not welcomed. His dark eyes continued to appraise her and a sneer on his thin lips dared her to come closer.

"Pretty, little thing." He placed his hands behind his back, rocking back and forth on his heels. "You can put that archaic weapon of yours away, dear."

Lightning frowned, her eyes flashing in annoyance, "I'd rather not," she clipped out, her voice heated.

"Get out of here." Fang glanced worriedly at Lightning, her eyes narrowing as the soldier continued to watch Questra. Fang could see the indecision warring in Lightning's face as she contemplated charging into Questra.

"No, stay, I insist." Questra tapped his lips thoughtfully, his pointed, narrow nose lightly sniffing the air. "You don't want to fight me, dear." He continued to smile at her, despite the threat in his next words. "I'd hate to mar that pretty face."

Lightning pointed her gunblade at him, unfazed. "I'd like to see you try."

Questra frowned, shaking his head in mock hurt. "You walk into my home and threaten me?" He turned around to face Fang, feigning disappointment. "After everything I've done for you."

Fang snorted. "You've done nothing but torture me." She saw Lightning tense behind Questra, recoiled and ready to spring like a rattlesnake. The Oerban subtly shook her head, warning the solider to not try anything. Lightning rolled her eyes at Fang, '_I'm taking the shot.'_

"I wouldn't call it _torture_, per say," Questra continued, ignoring the silent conversation between Fang and the pink haired woman that stood behind him.

"Call it whatever you want. I bet you're thrilled to see me." Fang stiffened as Lightning raised her gunblade again, ever so slightly. '_Not the right time, Sunshine.' _She frowned at Lightning, shaking her head again, silently begging her to wait. Lightning finally shrugged her shoulders in response to the Oerban's angry glare, and lowered her gunblade, shaking her head in annoyance and muttering something under her breath.

Questra sighed heavily having an idea of the silent exchange going on between the two women. They were already proving to be a handful. He walked over to the table and pulled the chair out. He sat down heavily on it, tapping his fingers across the desk, his curly brown hair covering most of his face. Lightning and Fang watched him, puzzled at the bizarre behavior.

"Who are you?" Lightning finally asked.

"She hasn't told you about me?" Questra turned his head to Fang, looking a bit disappointed, "That's surprising." He shook his head at the two women, his curly hair shaking with the motion. "We were only together for nine-hundred years."

Fang nearly dropped her lance. "Nine hundred years?" she echoed, surprised. That's how long she endured him? That's how long he tortured her? Fang's eyes narrowed as a short fuse of rage exploded inside her. She hurled her lance at his chest, hoping to stab him through his ribs and pin him into the chair.

Questra immediately pushed the chair back and stood up, watching as her lance pierced the chair, catching the end of his black overcoat. He glanced down at her lance, seeing it protrude from the chair, vibrating from the force of the throw. "That wasn't very nice."

Lightning seized the distraction. She sprinted towards Questra, her gunblade aimed for his back. She angled her metal blade, throwing her torso into her thrust. She felt the slight resistance as the tip of her blade pierced Questra between the shoulder blades. She shoved her gunblade further into his back, to the hilt, hearing him scream in pain. He collapsed on his knees, his back to her, blood trickling down his torso, with her blade obscenely sticking out of his chest.

Lightning grunted in disgust as placed her boot against his back and pulled her gunblade out. Questra collapsed on his stomach in a slump, crumpling into a heap. Lightning watched his body, surprised at his easy and swift demise.

"All bark and no bite." Fang crossed her arm and rested her hand on her chin. "Nice work, Light."

"What the hell is going on?" Lightning walked over to Fang, holding the bloodied gunblade away from her body. "Who did I just kill?"

Fang stared at the dead body on the ground, noticing the blood ooze from the corpse into a small puddle. She glanced at Lightning. "Questra." She paused, raking her brain. "He's a God."

Lightning arched an eyebrow, a dubious expression on her face. "He didn't seem very godly." Her cerulean eyes studied the corpse on the ground. She couldn't help but feel skeptical. He didn't even struggle against her, in fact, she felt a bit cheated.

Fang shook her head, seeing the soldier's doubtful expression. "He'll be back." She remembered a bit more now; she always did take great pleasure in killing him, probably because it hurt him so much.

Lightning sharply turned to the Oerban, trying to determine if she was kidding. The Oerban met her gaze evenly, showing Lightning that there was no punch line to be heard. "Okay," she began slowly, "Why are we still in this room?" Lightning glared at Fang, not liking her nonchalance. "We should leave."

"Where would we go? This is his realm." Fang closed her eyes, wanting to face palm herself. All the places to aim a rift, she had to aim it here. She didn't even know she could create rifts or how to do it. Apparently the powers Questra had given her were growing. She hummed thoughtfully.

"Fang." Lightning walked over to Fang, annoyed with the brunette's evasive answers. "This is like pulling teeth," she muttered. The soldier placed a hand on her hip, exasperated and angry. "What the hell is going on? Nine hundred years? We're in a different realm? _His_," she hiked her thumb over her shoulder, "realm?" She continued a moment later, her eyes narrowing in frustration, "What was he talking about? What does a God want with you?" Lightning briskly walked over to one of the curtains, wiping the cloth on her gunblade, trying to clean it before the blood dried. "Did he bring us here?" She bit her tongue as ten other questions popped into her head. '_This is ridiculous.'_

Fang grinned as she watched the soldier wipe her gunblade clean, her motions a bit hasty and erratic. Spending this much time alone with the other woman had given Fang keen insight into the subtle body language. She didn't recall ever hearing Lightning sound so confused. She took a deep breath, taking pity on the soldier, ready to answer each of her questions.

"That really hurt," Questra snarled. Both women turned to the doorway in surprise. "And no, I didn't bring you here, darling."

Questra stalked to the center of the room, his dark eyes angry and infuriated. Fang looked at the ground, noticing that the dead body was no longer there. She studied Questra closely, seeing no blood on his white shirt and no holes in his chest. She suspected as much.

"Impressive recovery time!" Fang pretended to look at a watch on her wrist. "Took ya longer than usual," she noted dryly.

"I stand by my first impression, Fang. Not very godly," Lightning muttered as Questra glared at both of them.

Questra gave both women a dirty look, not appreciating the insults and mockery. He pointed to Lightning, "If you destroy this body again, I will kill you," he warned.

Lightning smirked at the change in his attitude, apparently getting killed annoyed him.

Questra's nostrils flared as he sensed the pink haired woman's amusement. He would teach her a lesson for laughing at him. He didn't appreciate the insolence. Questra crossed his arms, fuming at the two women. "Why aren't you out destroying the world?"

Fang laughed abruptly, finding the question odd. "Been there, nearly done that. One time is too many, don't ya think?"

Questra stalked over to Fang, his overcoat flowing behind him as his shoes echoed through the room. He punched a hole in the wall near her head and shards of stone and dust crumbled near their feet. Fang's green eyes narrowed in distaste as he leaned in, his taller frame looming over hers, his fist still inside the wall, cornering her. Dark eyes pried into forest green and he clenched his jaw in irritation, gently running his other hand through her dark hair, curling the ends of it around his calloused fingers.

"How did you wake up? I worked hard to break you of your humanity, why are you still…" he frowned, snorting in derision as he looked down at her, "_human_?" He leaned in closer, bending his head toward her shoulder. He lightly sniffed the brunette, trying to read her. "Why are you still _you_? What did you do behind my back, Fang?" he whispered into her ear.

Fang placed both her hands against his wide chest. She curled her fists around his white shirt and violently shoved him away. She watched in satisfaction as he stumbled back clumsily, taking several steps back to regain his balance. Fang's emerald eyes stared hard into him, challenging him. "I don't answer to you."

Questra laughed, straightening his shirt. "Always so defiant. Nevermind, that. I'll figure it out. You'll be sorry when I do."

Lightning stepped closer to Fang, her gunblade still drawn and pointed at Questra. Maybe he couldn't be killed but he certainly felt pain and she had no problem inflicting it. Her eyes narrowed into slits as she remembered how he dared to run his fingers through Fang's hair. She intensely disliked that. Fang spent nine hundred years with him? What did they do together? How come he seemed to know Fang so well? Lightning gripped her gunblade tighter as her mind spiraled with questions. She felt the slow simmering heat of hate and something else traveling through her veins as her imagination began to run rampant.

Questra sniffed the air lightly, his nostrils flaring under his long nose. His eyes snapped to the pink haired soldier, smirking at her heated gaze. "Light…" He clapped his hands, smiling widely at her. "_Lightning_." He raised an eyebrow, his suspicions confirmed as her blue eyes widened slightly. He smiled lecherously. "You're jealous."

Lightning's brow knitted in confusion as Questra continued to study her. He raised a bushy eyebrow, daring her to argue with him. "Almost a millennia with Fang while she was in stasis, what did we do together?" His grin widened as he voiced her inner musings, her fury so thick he could taste it. He continued after a beat, seeing the soldier's face redden in anger and discomfort. "And no, my dear…You can quell that vivid imagination. I'm above carnal desires and couplings of the _flesh_," he leered. Questra continued to smile at Lightning, his eyes menacing. "Although, if I knew Fang had such a jealous girlfriend, I may have reconsidered." He chuckled lightly as another flare of embarrassment and jealousy torched through the room.

Lightning bristled as Fang casted a wayward glance her way, her eyebrows climbing in surprise. The soldier refused to meet her eyes, studying the cracks on the far wall and wondering how difficult it would be to cut Questra's tongue off.

Fang became slack jawed as she realized what Lightning had assumed. _'She's jealous? Huh.'_ "I would never…That never even…" Fang trailed off, wrinkling her nose in disgust as she eyed Questra, as if he were a leper. "I would never …" She repeated, unsure of how to finish the sentence. She glanced at Questra again and shook her head, deciding that there wasn't a word strong enough to convey just how disgusting she found the idea.

"Just, shut up, Fang." Lightning gritted her teeth, rubbing her forehead to hide a blush. She felt a headache start to pound into her head. What was she supposed to think? And why didn't Fang tell her he could read their emotions?

Questra chortled, finding the exchange between the two women amusing. "Fang stubbornly held on to your memory. Beast after beast, children, villages, trial after trial. She always remembered you." He placed a hand over his heart, mocking her contemptuously, "Romantic, isn't it?"

Fang bit her cheek in annoyance; apparently Questra was more interested in embarrassing them then killing them. She survived nine hundred years of this? She deserved a medal.

Lightning scowled at him and turned to Fang. "What's he talking about?"

Fang sighed, placing her hands on her hips. "Well, romantic wouldn't be the first word I'd –"

Lightning rolled her eyes, quickly interrupting Fang, not wanting either of them to be embarrassed any further. " – I meant the beasts. Trials. What's he talking about?"

Fang crossed her arms against her chest, tapping her fingers against her tattoo. "He tried to make me forget." She watched as he grinned at her, eagerly waiting for her to continue. "He wanted me to wake from stasis, a mindless monster." Fang wished she hadn't thrown her lance into the chair; she'd like to take another shot at him.

"-And destroy the world. Instead, you're here, prematurely, wasting time." Questra's demeanor changed immediately, becoming angry. "Still human," he spat out.

"You failed." Fang arched an eyebrow, smirking at Questra as he balked at her insolence. "I broke out of stasis and here I am, still _me._ Fancy that, eh?"

"Yes, I'm going to find out why that is. It seems we've reached a bit of a hiccup." Questra crossed his arms. "However," he paused, rubbing his chin, "don't overestimate your abilities, darling. You don't even know how you got here." He laughed, continuing to deride her, "How are you ever going to get back to your home?"

Lightning glowered. "You're going to keep us here?"

Questra shook is head. "No, you can leave anytime you like. Fang still has a job to complete. I've spent far too much time to give her up so easily." He paused, flashing them a dazzling smile as he tasted another hurricane of emotions from the solider. His dark eyes appraised Lightning. "I could always keep you here. I think that's the incentive my star pupil needs. We could…" his eyes trailed over her legs, her mini skirt, and lazily up her chest, lingering there for good measure, "talk about that vivid imagination of yours?" He laughed lightly as both women flared in ire, the rage washing over him like a tsunami.

Lightning stepped forward, ready to cut into him, she'd had enough. God or not, she was sick of hearing his voice. "I'm tired of your stupid jokes," she tone was cold. She began to step forward and Fang stepped in front of the soldier immediately, holding her back with her arm against Lightning's jacket.

Fang backed her against the wall protectively. "You're dumber than I thought if you think she's stayin' behind."

Questra frowned at her. "I won't hurt her. She'll just sit pretty until you've fulfilled your purpose." He tilted his head, trying to reason with her. "Then you can come back here, and live happily ever after, or whatever it is you mortals do."

"She's leaving with me." Fang ground out, feeling a slow panic settle in her gut. She glanced longingly at her lance, still stabbed into the chair. "Or you'll have to kill me."

"That's a bit extreme, my dear." He studied her closely, gauging her seriousness.

Fang clenched her jaw tightly as she stood in front of Lightning. She wasn't counting on him taking that chance with her. He wanted her alive. Currently, her plan was to get out this hellhole, with Lightning, if she had to die to make it happen, she would.

Questra shrugged dismissively and inhaled, tasting her resolve. "Very well," he grunted. He met Lightning's eyes, over the brunette's shoulder. "She brought you here and she can take you back," he finished snidely.

Lightning raised her eyebrows, surprised. Fang can get them out of here? Fang brought them here? Why didn't she say anything? Lightning clenched her fists. She hated this. She was going to have a nice and long chat with Fang if they survived this.

Questra chuckled, reading the soldier's strong emotions. "Fang suspected. She didn't tell you? That's so…" Lightning saw Fang shuffle uncomfortably. He pretended to think, puffing his lips out. "Deceitful? Untruthful? Leading you on and on and not even telling you?"

Lightning stepped away from behind the Fang. "Don't you dare try that." She wasn't about to be played against Fang. She shifted her blade back into a gun and promptly cocked the hammer back, aiming for a head of curly brown hair. "I'm a very good shot." She heard Fang snicker quietly beside her.

Questra's eyeballed her firearm and gave her a lazy smile. "Very well. I'm leaving now." He breathed in deeply, "Far too many emotions, it's stuffy in here. I'll be back." He pointed at Fang, "We're not done, not by far." Questra gave a brisk bow and grinned. He quickly vanished from the atrium with a hazy cloud of mist, leaving the two stunned women alone.

Fang let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. She leaned against the stone wall, exhausted from her encounter with Questra. "Riot, he is," she muttered.

Lightning holstered her gunblade, turning to Fang. She watched the brunette's weary expression. "I need some answers, Fang." She stalked over to the chair, roughly pulling Fang's lance out of the wood and tossing it to the brunette. Lightning sat down, waiting, tired of being out of the loop. "Everything you remember, _now_." Every single one of her questions was going to be answered, whether Fang liked it or not.

XXXXXXX

Vanille frowned as the second cognispeeder was taken by the soldiers. They had spent close to two days hiking down the mountain. They weren't able to bring the vehicles with them; there wasn't a wide enough path to drive the trucks to the bottom. She observed the wrecked cognispeeder, unsure of what to make of everything.

"Well, no sign of Fang or Lightning." Hope examined a large tree by the cliff, motioning her to come over. "Stab marks on the trunk."

Vanille examined them closely, seeing the sharp triangle tipped indentions. "Fang's lance did this." She looked around the area, not seeing any evidence of either woman, or the beast for that matter.

Snow bent down, sifting through the grass. He made a soft noise in the back of his throat as he picked up several sharp canines. "She knocked his teeth out." He grinned. So far, the tussle with the beast looked like it went in their favor, but where were they?

Sazh took another long gulp of water from his canteen, wiping the sweat from his brow. He really didn't feel like hiking back up the mountain. He paused, mid gulp, as he noticed a lone figure approaching in the distance. He took in the broad shoulders and dirty blonde hair as the man continued to stroll towards them, his hands in his pockets.

"Uh…" Sazh immediately jumped up causing the others to turn to him. He pointed at the man that continued to amble towards them, "Who the hell is that?"

They all followed his finger, slowly drawing their weapons as a tall man donned in red and yellow robes sauntered over to them. The hood of his robe was drawn back over his shoulders and the belt loosely cinched around his waist. He took long strides towards them, his sandals lightly treading across the dirt. The man flashed them a disarming smile as he drew nearer.

"Hello." The stranger nodded as he stopped in front of them.

"I didn't think anybody lived out here…" Snow's eyes narrowed, his eyes traveling up and down the man's clothes. He took a moment to study the intricate designs that adorned the lapels of his robe. What was he doing out here? And dressed in ridiculous looking clothes?

"I'm just traveling through." The man smiled again. "My name is Doriel."

The Sargent walked over to the small group that had gathered, two soldiers flanking her side. "What's going on?" She looked the strange man up and down, taking in his odd looking outfit. When she got back to New Bodhum, she was resigning, she had seen enough excitement to last her a lifetime.

Vanille moved closer to Snow and Sazh, watching the strange man with a bit of apprehension. She got a strange feeling from him. She found something terribly off about him. He turned to her, his gray eyes boring into hers, studying her closely and inhaling deeply. She shifted uncomfortably. '_Okay, that is just weird._'

"I was traveling through, noticed a ruckus and here I am." Doriel turned to the Sergeant and held his hand out to her. She pointedly ignored the friendly gesture. He nodded politely, pulling his hands behind his back, taking their distrust in stride.

"Where you from?" Sazh eyed his red and yellow robes with a bit of confusion; it didn't seem like appropriate traveling clothing, at least not through these parts.

"I'm from here," Doriel answered easily, shrugging his shoulders. "I've been gone a very, very long time. I wanted to come back home." He waited patiently as they continued to watch him. When no further questions came he pointed to the wrecked cognispeeder that was propped against a tree. "Was there an accident?"

"We're missing two of our own," Snow replied, not really answering his question. He clenched his fists, not liking how interested he was in their business.

Doriel nodded slightly, seeming to contemplate something. "Maybe I can help." He watched Snow, letting his words sink in. "What do they look like?"

Snow frowned, his blue eyes narrowing. He didn't like this at all. "You're the first person we've seen for days." Snow stepped towards Doriel, tapping his fist against his palm, his stature tense and threatening. "Why are you really here? Who are you?"

"I'm here to help." Doriel met Snow's gaze steadily. "You should step down; I don't take kindly to violence." He smiled. "Now, what do they look like?"

Snow swung his fist back, ready to knock the stranger to the ground. This man was a threat to them, to Lightning and Fang; he could feel it in his gut. His fist sailed through the air, connecting solidly with Doriel's palm as he caught Snow's fist in his hand.

"I told you, I'm here to help," Doriel politely clipped, holding Snow's fist in his palm, inches from his face.

Snow's eyes narrowed as he tried to withdraw his fist, finding that he was unable to release himself from Doriel's grasp. Gray eyes met his blue, slightly mocking and a tense moment filled the area as the two men stared each other down. Doriel promptly released Snow's hand, shoving him back. Snow huffed in anger, ready to go again when he felt Vanille tightly clutch the back of his trench coat, wrapping it around her fist, trying to hold him back.

"See what all that testosterone does to ya?" Sazh lightly patted Snow on the shoulder and pulled his pistols out. "Nothing like these bad boys to settle a good fight." He pointed over yonder, in the direction Doriel had come from; making sure the man saw his pistols. "You can leave, we've got all the help we need right here."

A brief flash of annoyance crossed over Doriel's face that quickly disappeared. He stepped back, raising his hands, showing he meant no harm. "If you wish." He smiled one last time at each of them, studying them closely. He paused as his eyes settled on Vanile, assessing her. "If you need me, I'll be a few miles down the path." He slowly turned around, walking back through the brush.

"Creepy wacko," Sazh muttered, watching the retreating form. He suddenly felt like he couldn't get back up the mountain quick enough, his old back be damned, he wasn't going to spend another night here.

"He gave me the willies." Vanille crossed her arms, trying to rub away the chill bumps as she remembered his cold eyes watching her intensely. She swore she could still feel them on her.

"Why was he so interested in us?" Hope asked, scratching the back of his neck, trying to shake off the odd encounter.

"Interested in us? Or Lightning and Fang?" Snow asked wryly.

The other three silently stared off into the distance, having found more questions than answers.

* * *

><p>Feedback always appreciated :D<p> 


	14. Chapter 14

Lightning crossed her legs, the chair creaking with the slight movement. "So it was two years to me," she paused, waiting for Fang to patiently nod, "and _nine hundred _years somewhere else?" Fang nodded again and Lightning rubbed her forehead as she tried to wrap her mind around the new information. She supposed it wasn't that farfetched, given everything that they went through two years ago.

Fang gave her a humorless smile. She gracefully hopped onto the desk, sitting on the edge, her legs dangling beneath. "That's right. I was in stasis for two years, but in these other worlds…" she paused, remembering the different worlds she had encountered, "time goes by a lot faster. Could be why I wasn't able to remember right away." She glanced up at the ceiling, "It all happened in an instant."

Lightning nodded, her mind still reeling. She watched as the Oerban lazily leaned back against the desk, resting on her hands, right next to Lightning who sat on the chair. The soldier glanced down, noticing the brunette's taunt, tanned abdomen stretch with the motion, her short black tank top riding up slightly. Lightning found herself staring at the expanse of skin in front of her and she quickly pushed her chair back, away from the table.

"Okay." Lightning tore her eyes away from Fang's stomach and back to Fang's face. She noticed the brunette's green eyes were already watching her with growing curiosity and interest. "What about your humanity?" Lightning continued, ignoring Fang's questioning gaze. "Nine hundred years of gore and slaughter, how are you still sane?"

Fang shrugged slightly, pushing away the fact that she'd just caught Lightning gazing at her body into the back of her mind for later examination. "I'm a Yun, we're a stubborn lot." She heard a soft sigh and promptly continued as the soldier waited for a proper response. "I was able to communicate with you and Vanille, it helped."

"That was the 'grey place'?" Lightning asked, seeking clarification.

"Yup. It was harder with you than Vanille, maybe 'cause you weren't in stasis."

Lightning nodded, thinking back to her few memories with Fang while the Oerban was in stasis. That made a little more sense. "So, you were able to remember us?" Lightning found that she wasn't at all surprised that Fang had reached out to Vanille, they were practically sisters, but to her? That was surprising. She was a bit curious to find out why that was. She contemplated asking but quickly changed her mind; it wasn't the time or place to discuss exactly what she was to Fang and she was certain the Oerban wouldn't give up her answers without a fight.

"Yeah..." Fang's soft voice dragged Lightning away from her musings. "He was making me fight those hell-beasts, day and night, years, decades at a time. He would even create villages, people, children…" Fang paused, seeing the countless children and families she'd encountered, "He made me kill them - it was either me or them." Fang closed her eyes as countless faces scrolled through her mind, never-ending bodies that tumbled at her feet, because of her. They were all his creations, with a snap of his fingers, those were his trials. Was she a monster for wanting to survive? Fang's eyes slowly opened as she looked down at the desk, seeing Lightning's hand on top of hers.

"They weren't real, Fang. Just another tool he used to try and make you forget."

Fang nodded, still silent. Maybe they weren't real, but they felt real all the same. The cries, the pleas as they kneeled before her, begging for divine intervention, not realizing that she was their miracle, a savior, though not for them, but for herself. She gently lifted her hand from underneath's Lightning and rested it on her lap, not wanting to be consoled. "Didn't matter if they were real or not, I didn't even stop to think if they might be," she bitterly ground out, remembering as she plowed through everything that Questra tossed in front of her.

Lightning's eyes narrowed, not liking the direction Fang was headed in. "You didn't forget, you found a way to remain human. You found Vanille, you found me," Lightning stated, her voice resolute. "You're not trying to kill anyone, not trying to destroy the universe." Lightning's voice grew softer, watching the brunette study the floor, listening intently to her. "You're not a monster, Fang."

Fang smiled slightly and turned her head towards Lightning. She didn't' agree but fighting about it would be pointless. It was nice to know that Lightning cared though. "Thanks."

Lightning could see that she still hadn't gotten through to Fang but chose to follow the brunette's lead, for the time being. The emotional implications of what Fang had been through would certainly rear its ugly head. What she went through was traumatic but Lightning didn't know how to begin healing those scars when Fang was so eager to shut her out, go it alone as the brunette would say. She would need to talk to Vanille; the redhead usually offered keen insight into Fang and she would need an expert helping her if she wanted to get inside the brunette's head.

"How did you wake from stasis?" Lightning asked, remembering how angry it made Questra.

"I woke myself. Seeing you and Vanille helped me focus, help me break from it and out of that world." Fang stiffened. "Questra can't know that, Light. He'll come after you both." She closed her eyes, clenching her fists in anger. Everyone was in danger because of her.

Lightning nodded, knowing what it could mean for her and Vanille if Questra were to find out they were the reason Fang was able to break from his grasp. She took a moment to study the woman in front of her, admiring her strength and resolve. "How were you supposed to destroy the world?" Lightning asked, breaking the silence that settled upon them.

"Didn't say. Probably would've found out if I stuck around longer." Fang grinned wryly. Fang knew that Questra had given her enough power to do it, enough power with nine hundred long years to hone it. Fang sighed again; she really had no idea what she was capable of doing at this point.

Lightning drummed her fingers on the desk, her brow knitted in concentration. "I wonder if this has anything to do with the General's orders."

Fang tilted her head towards the ceiling, leaning back on her hands as she sat on the desk. "He was right. I am a threat. Maybe he had the right idea."

Lightning stared at her in shock. "How can you say that?"

"I'm a walking time bomb - we don't know what I'm capable of doing. It's like another focus all over again, destroy the world."

Lightning clenched her fist, her cobalt eyes flashing in ire, not at Fang but at the situation. "You're not l'Cie, you have a choice."

"I'm still a threat to Vanille, you, the others. Questra isn't going to give up on me."

Lightning stood up from the chair, her mind quaking as she tried to fill the pieces. "Then what are you going to do? Stay here? Go back and hand yourself over to PSICOM to be executed? Let Questra get his paws back on you again?" Lightning watched Fang as she sat on top of the desk. "What are you thinking, Fang?" She crossed her arms, her blue eyes piercing into Fang.

The Oerban rubbed her forehead. She didn't have any answers. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, unsure of what her grand plan was. Maybe she could create another rift and vanish away to a world where she couldn't hurt anyone. Of course, Lightning would probably find her and kick her ass for running with her tail tucked between her legs. _'Stubborn woman._'

"Why didn't you tell me you brought us here?" Lightning finally asked the question that was bothering her the most. She continued when Fang didn't answer her. "Did you really know that it was you?" Lightning frowned as Fang nodded her answer. "Why didn't you tell me? We may have been able to get out of here before even seeing Questra."

Fang crossed her arms, feeling a bit defensive, like Lightning was blaming her. "What good would it have done?" Fang raised her arms up, "I don't even know how I brought us here, what could you have done?"

Lightning walked over to the brunette. "You still should have told me, Fang. I'm here with you, we're in this _together_. You can't keep things like this from me."

"And if I'd told you … ya would have ripped me a new one!"

"You don't know that."

"It's happened every other time!"

"We're stuck in a different world, and you were more worried about my _reaction_ than about telling me you're the one that got us stuck here?" Lightning stood in front of Fang, her eyes narrowed in anger. She immediately regretted her choice of words but knew it was too late to take them back.

Fang jumped off the desk, stepping into Lightning's space, using her height advantage to stare down the pink haired woman. "If you hadn't followed me while I lead that stupid beast away, you wouldn't be _stuck_ here with me."

Lightning rolled her eyes, staring up at the taller woman. "You shouldn't have just taken off like that," the soldier grumbled. She sighed heavily and lowered her voice. "I'm not blaming you."

Fang scoffed, shaking her head in frustration. "Ya sure? Cause it sounds like you are."

"I know you didn't ask for this."

Fang watched Lightning, carefully, and she was glad to see that Lightning was being sincere. "I'm sorry for not telling you." Fang turned away and walked back over to the desk, jumping back on it and the tension between them eased. "There. Happy now?"

Lightning relaxed, still standing in the center of the room as her cool, blue eyes regarded the brunette. "Yes. Now, how do we get out of here?" Lightning prodded.

"I don't know." Fang stared at the floor, chewing her lower lip as she tried to remember how she did it. Damn how she wished she could remember.

Lightning groaned and begged for patience. "Questra is coming back, Fang. I'd rather not be here when he returns."

Fang raised her green eyes to Lightning, her voice soft. "I know that, but I don't know how to create a damn portal." She sighed heavily, feeling angry at herself. And to hell with Questra, he could throw them back into their own world with a flick of his wrist. Instead, he was going to make Fang do it, when she had no clue how. She was going to kill him when she saw him.

Lightning walked over to Fang who still sitting on the desk. The soldier wanted to show her support, wanted Fang to see her. She wasn't alone in this and they'd make it out, alive, like they always did.

Fang looked up, noticing that Lightning was standing very close to her, her blue eyes caressing her, empathic and intense. Her green eyes greedily took in Lightning's features once again as the soldier stood above her. She mentally shook herself; if she wasn't fighting with Lightning she was checking her out, what the hell was wrong with her? Fang trailed her eyes over Lightning's lips, unable to stop herself.

"You've done it before." Lightning spoke softly, her voice catching as she watched Fang glance down at her mouth.

"-Not for nine hundred years she hasn't. She's certainly thought of _it_, preferably with _yo-_"

Questra lewd joke went unfinished as he quickly ducked an airborne lance that was aimed right for his mop of curly brown hair. He gracefully stepped to the side as a gunblade soon followed, aimed for this chest. He turned around, seeing both weapons stick out from the wall behind him. "Did you miss me?" He smirked at the two women who were watching him with growing infuriation.

Lightning stepped away from Fang, feeling her ire returning at the sight of Questra. "I get it. Your grand plan is to annoy us to death," she deadpanned.

Questra smiled. "Still can't figure out how to get out of here, hmm?" He shrugged, "You can always ask me how it's done."

Fang hopped off the desk. "Okay. How?" Fang asked, sweet and sarcastic sincerity lacing her tone.

"Please and Thank You," Questra corrected.

"Can you _please_ tell us how to get out of here, _thank you._" Lightning ground out. She briefly closed her eyes, trying to calm her emotions.

Questra walked towards them, stopping a few feet in front of the two weary women. He regarded Fang, studying her closely. "I suppose it's tied to your emotions." He tapped his lips thoughtfully, "That must be it. It's unique but you 've always been rather quirky."

Fang glanced at Lightning and nodded, her face serious. She immediately stepped forward and backhanded Questra across the face, throwing her entire arm into the blow. "I'm feelin' pretty emotional right now. I don't see any portals anywhere."

Questra's stumbled back and clutched his cheek, his entire face throbbing in pain. He growled at her impudence. "Poor taste, darling." He stepped towards Fang, clenching his fist, his dark eyes glowing.

Fang stepped back, raising her fists, ready for him. Questra ran towards her and Fang went to side step him but he surprised her, as he went for Lightning. The soldier stumbled back as Questra slammed her into the wall, her head dizzy with pain as she knocked it against the stone wall. Her vision blurred and he pressed the length of himself against her body and she swiftly brought her knee up, trying to knee him in his groin.

"That's an old trick."

She heard him, next to her ear as he roughly grabbed her knee, shoving it back down against the cold floor. She tried to push him away but he grabbed her wrists and promptly turned her around, shoving her against the wall again, her back against his chest as her cheek roughly rubbed against the stone.

"Don't try it," Questra sneered, not bothering to look at the brunette who stood behind him, her lance aimed for him. He quickly turned Lightning around, his hand around her neck and her head slanted into his shoulder, pinning her spine to his chest.

Lightning struggled against him and she felt this fingers tighten around her neck as he shoved her head to the side, into an awkward angle, his fingers bruising her skin. "Get off," she hissed, finding it difficult to speak as he wedged his fingers into her windpipe.

"Stop wriggling so much, darling." Questra chastised, his voice lilting in her ear. Lightning stopped as he gripped her neck tighter and she took shallow breaths as he continued to cut off her oxygen. "Consider this, a necessary evil," he whispered into her ear, so softly that Lightning almost missed the words.

"Let 'er go." Fang took a step back, lowering her lance, her voice steady even though her heart threatened to explode out of her chest as she watched Questra dangle Lightning's life in front of her.

"I think not." Questra smirked at Fang, one hand around Lightning's neck and the other hand slowly dragged down the soldier's chest, stroking her stomach.

"So _warm_," Questra commented, his eyes taunting the brunette. He slowly raised his hand, trailing his fingers up and down Lightning's sternum, lightly grazing her between her breasts. "How does this feel?" He roughly shoved the soldier's head back further against his shoulder, clutching her jaw, his long fingers blemishing the pink skin underneath it.

He laughed as he felt Lightning struggle against him again, her hands trying to pry his arm off of her neck. "You struggle so much, like a little _worm_," he laughed as her efforts to dislodge him proved futile. "Let's have a look." He bent his head against her neck, her hate heavy in his nostrils. He brought his free hand against the front of her overcoat, deftly unclasping it. His fingers found the zipper of her turtleneck. He raised his glowing eyes to watch Fang, as he leisurely began to drag the zipper down. Lightning immediately bucked against him, trying to escape as she felt the cold air hit her chest.

Fang watched as Questra's pink tongue poked out of his mouth, lazily licking the side of Lightning's neck, his eyes never leaving hers. She gripped her lance, white hot rage sweeping her away as she watched Questra. The room lightly shook underneath her but she didn't notice. Her eyes never left Questra's as he continued to provoke her, his arms and hands on Lightning.

"There it is," Questra cooed. He laughed at Fang and abruptly released Lightning, shoving the soldier into Fang.

Fang caught Lightning and immediately pulled the soldier behind her, the desire to protect Lightning fierce and volatile. Lightning turned around as Questra stepped back and laughed at the both of them.

"I'm going to kill you," Lightning snarled, grabbing her gunblade from the wall behind her and she quickly zipped her turtleneck back up, hitching in disgust, still feeling his hands on her body.

"You mean thank me." Questra pointed at Fang.

Lightning paused, seeing Fang's eyes glowing once again, bright and green as she continued to watch Questra, her body stone cold still. Lightning gently shook the brunette's shoulder, trying to get her attention.

"Fang?" Lightning grabbed the Oerban's arm, but her voice fell on deaf ears.

Fang continued to ignore her, near catatonic, as her forest green eyes continued to glow brighter and brighter. Her mind was spiraling, spinning, the image of Questra and Lightning seared into her mind. He dared to put his hands on Lightning? Dared to provoke her? He touched Lightning, put his filthy hands on her, his tongue on her neck. How dare he. "You're dead." Fang's cold voice filled the room.

"Don't waste your anger on me, my dear." Questra took a step back, startled at the eruption of loathing and rage that filled the back of his throat, coming from Fang. He wanted to gag; it was so strong and thick. The brunette raised her lance again, her body rigid and her movement explosive.

Fang laughed, disdainfully, and strode towards him, so quick that Lightning could barely make out the movement. She winced as she heard a loud yell and Fang stepped away from Questra, her lance impaled in his stomach.

"You're a bitch," he growled, falling to his knees as his shirt and pants began to slowly soak in blood. "Get out of here and do what I've trained you to do," he gasped as he clutched his stomach, "… and if you don't…" Questra tore his eyes away from Fang and settled on Lightning, realizing just how much Fang cared about her. "You will never see her again." Questra fell to the ground on his hands, and collapsed, his eyes closing.

Fang turned to Lightning, the intensity in her glowing eyes was so feral and ferocious that the soldier took a step back. Fang walked over to her and grabbed her wrist, "Let's go home."

She raised her lance and slammed it into the ground, the entire room shaking and rumbling around them as stones crumbled from the ceiling and cracks emerged underneath their feet. Lightning saw a rip appear in front of them, and it grew and grew, swirling around them as Fang clutched her against her body. She winced as a loud, roaring sound filled her head and ears. Dark black abyss clouded her vision as the portal opened around them, taking them away.

XXXXXXX

"Did you know about this?"

Solistaria shook her head, her eyes serious as she gazed at the gray eyes in front of her.

"No, lover." She turned around so that she no longer faced him. "I just wanted to see you. It's been years." She heard a deep sigh from behind her.

"I can sense her, but I can't find her."

Solistaria nodded, the motion of her head solemn despite the expression of mirth on her face. She spoke candidly, her tone sincere. "What do you think is going on?"

Another deep sigh filled the room. She felt his concern fill her nostrils. "Questra." The name fell from his lips, like an oily snake slithering across the floor.

"How can you tell?" She rolled her eyes, knowing he couldn't see her face, and she carefully kept her emotions in check so he could not sense her glee.

"Who else would do this?"

Solistaria didn't' answer, knowing the question was rhetorical. She turned to face him, her eyes gazing up at him. She stepped forward, running a hand through the dirty blonde hair and tucking it behind his ear. "I don't understand. Has he made a fal'Cie?"

She saw the apprehension in his eyes as he regarded her, his brow wrinkling in disquiet. "No, she is more than that." He stepped away, his eyes narrowing in annoyance. "I can feel the imbalance."

Solistaria nodded slowly, asserting her agreement. "If Questra is behind it, then she is a threat."

Gray eyes continued to watch her. "I agree. She must be found and destroyed."

XXXXXXX

Sazh scratched the back of his head, thinking that despite all his old man jokes, he was too young to be going senile.

"That was fun, yeah?" he heard Fang ask.

"Call me old fashioned but I'd rather take a train," Lightning replied.

He blinked slowly, rubbing his brown eyes. Vanille ran past him, hearing their voices, and threw her body into Fang who returned the embrace with joyful jest.

"Fang! Lightning! You're all right!" Vanille tightly hugged Fang and pushed the brunette over to Lightning, stretching her arms out so she could hold both women tightly, her relief pouring over them as she squeezed them together, her short arms somehow engulfing them both.

Snow and Hope emerged from the tents, unsure if they heard correctly. They passed Sazh, who still hadn't moved, and Snow stretched his long arms, wrapping everyone in a gigantic bear hug, ignoring the protesting that could be heard from Lightning.

Sazh glanced at the Sargeant, who was standing on the opposite side of him, equally stunned. He didn't blame her. One minute he was watching the horizon as the sun slowly set and the next thing he knew a _hole_ manifested right in front of him, and out popped Lightning and Fang, like a rabbit out of a magician's hat.

"What the matter with you? Not happy to see us?" Fang asked him, her arm around Vanille's shoulders.

"How did you do that?" Sazh asked, deciding that maybe he wasn't going senile after all.

"Long story…" Fang trailed off, her grin turning into a grimace. He mirrored the expression, the look Lightning and Fang gave him couldn't mean anything but bad news. He glanced back at the Sargaent as she mumbled something about resigning.

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	15. Chapter 15

"Creating portals?" Sazh echoed, slightly amazed as he studied Fang in a new light. "Fang, Destroyer of Worlds?" He laughed heartily and coughed to cover it a moment later, seeing the irritated look Fang was giving him.

"Funny man cracks another sidesplittin' gag." Fang glared at him, shaking her head in aggravation.

"I'm just sayin, you don't seem like you want to kill everyone, okay?" Sazh replied, seeing that his attempt at humor truly bothered her.

"Fang wouldn't hurt a fly." Vanille nodded vigorously, walking over to Fang to put her arm around her waist, "Well," she glanced up at the taller Oerban, who was giving her an entertained smile, "Maybe a bee."

"Thanks, that makes everythin' all the better." Fang ruffled Vanille's hair, earning her a hard glare that Fang returned with a cheeky smile.

"So how do we kill _him_?" Hope asked, not wanting to say the name. From what Fang and Lightning had told them, he really didn't want to meet Questra, just hearing about him gave him the creeps.

"No conventional way, that's for sure." Lightning sighed, remembering the way he was able to overpower her. His hands on her chest, she clenched her fists, wishing she still had her brand so she could even the playing field. "Fang?" Lightning asked, looking for an answer to Hope's question.

"I don't know." Fangs shrugged defensively at the amazed expressions on everyone's faces, "What? You think he would just sit me down over tea an' tell me?"

"Well, nine hundred years… you have no idea?" Snow asked, keeping his tone gentle and not missing the thankful glance Lightning gave him.

"Nope. I've tried plenty times, he just comes back, like an annoyin' cockroach."

"Well, there is a way to kill him. We just have to figure it out." Lightning met Fang's eyes.

"He's a _God_, immortal and all that flowery crap that comes with it," Fang's heated voice filled the small tent. She found herself unable to help the annoyance that started to flare in her voice. "Questra is undying, he's a _bastard_," she stuck her thumb against her chest, "and I'm his tool." Her memories with him grated her, permeating her mind. The hopelessness of the odds was starting to weigh heavily on her heart.

"Okay, so are we supposed to just sit around?" Lightning asked, her own anger clashing against Fang's, the events of the last several days finally exploding in her chest. "_You_ can sit around and let things be, _I'm_ going to find a way."

Fang laughed, her mocking tone only irking the soldier. She slapped her knee, bent over, chuckling lightly. The sarcastic gesture caused Lightning to rapidly clench and unclench her jaw as her cheeks grew red in anger.

"_This_ isn't your fight, Sunshine. It's mine. I _know_ what I should do."

The four inhabitants continued to watch the argument escalate, unsure of where to step in. Snow looked at Vanille, wiggling his eyebrows, telling her to _do_ something. Vanille glared, shrugging her shoulders at him. She didn't know any more than he did.

"Oh yes, that's right." Lightning laughed, condescending and loud, and she ignored the winces that came from their audience. Her cutting tone caused them to shift uncomfortably. "Your great idea is to high tail out of here, right? Just leave?" She let her words sink in around the silent room. "Create a portal and _run away_?"

The reaction was instantaneous and Fang shook in her sandals, her green eyes flashing in rage as Lighting's words cut into her, slicing deep and painfully. She felt Vanille tug her hand and she glanced down.

"Fang?" Vanille's own green eyes met into her, hurt and scared.

"It would be to protect everyone," Fang gently explained, ignoring the snort she heard from Lightning.

"You can't leave, Fang. You promised." Vanille clenched Fang's hand, her knuckles white, and her eyes shone under the dim lamp of the tent as she pleaded with Fang. "You promised to stick together."

Lightning studied the interaction carefully, seeing if the redhead was getting through to Fang. She crossed her arms, her blue eyes intense in their analysis. Fang hadn't told her what her plan was, but Lightning knew, she could tell, she could see the desperation in Fang's eyes, the hopelessness that dug its boots into the brunette's back, taunting them. She'd seen it once before, before Bahamut had revealed himself to Fang, only this time there were no Eidolons to aid them, all Fang had was her family. It would have to be enough; Lightning was going to make sure of it.

"We just got you both back, I don't care why you're here, but you're not leaving." Snow's quiet voice made Fang turn to him, "Whatever we need to do, we'll do it together."

"Yeah Portal-Girl, you're stuck with us. There's rope in the trucks," Sazh walked over to Fang, lightly patting her on the back, "Don't make me use it."

"That's very funny," Fang droned, relaxing her shoulders. She glanced at Lightning, seeing the soldier watching her, the intensity in the cerulean gaze caused Fang to shuffle uncomfortably. Her green eye's narrowed in anger, letting Lightning know she didn't appreciate the clever ploy. Lightning arched an eyebrow, lightly smirking at her and Fang found it oddly, flirtatious.

"So you're not leaving?" Fang looked at Vanille again and then back at Lightning. She gave the soldier a pointed look, letting her know they weren't finished.

"Yeah, I'm not leaving."

"Promise?"

Fang felt a wave of tenderness wash through her as Vanille continued to prod, begging her. "Yeah, I promise." Fang returned the embrace, grimacing when Vanille hugged her tightly. Fang would make this promise, but Fang had also made a different promise, a long, long time ago. Her promise was to protect her family, first and foremost, and if leaving would allow her to keep that promise, she would do it. She wasn't going to remind Vanille though.

Snow smacked her back and she frowned when she was lurched forward by the friendly gesture. "Fang always keeps her promises."

"Yes, I do," Fang answered, smoothly, not missing the widening of Lightning's eyes as realization dawned on her face. Fang arched an eyebrow at Lightning, giving her a lazy smile. Lightning frowned, not appreciating Fang's own manipulation of the situation, but she had to hand it to Fang, she was quick on her feet.

"We leave in two hours." Lightning finally spoke up, uncrossing her arms.

The five of them nodded, dispersing out of the small tent and Lightning watched each of them go, one by one, except for the brunette that stood in place, waiting until they were alone in Lightning's tent. The soldier turned around, walking over to her small desk and idly packing her belongings.

"Think you're so clever?" Fang asked, quietly, stepping forward.

Lightning bristled, feeling Fang right behind her and she could hear the fire in Fang's voice. "Not as clever as you," Lightning replied, shoving her clothes into her bag, still refusing to turn around. She felt Fang's heat everywhere, it was distracting, and Lightning was cornered. She couldn't walk forward; a desk was in her way, if she turned around, she'd be right in Fang's face. She was stuck; she found it thrilling and disconcerting at the same time.

"I don't appreciate what you did back there." Fang spoke slowly, right in her ear, causing the hairs on Lightning's neck to rise. Each word she was spoke was enunciated clearly, her accent light, and Lightning could practically hear her blood boiling.

"I did what I thought I had to do," Lightning stated, closing her eyes. "Leaving is not the answer, Fang."

Fang noticed Lightning had stopped packing, but she refused to turn around and face Fang. "Throwin' me to the wolves and tryin' to use my family as a _crutch_, isn't the answer either." She clenched her fists, realizing they were on a pinnacle of some kind, though, she wasn't sure what.

Lightning placed both palms on the table, angrily shoving her bag away. Her nails scratched into the table and she gritted her teeth. The air was thick between them, potent with tension, and Lightning felt dizzy from it. "It doesn't matter." Lightning swallowed, wishing Fang would step back, if she turned around to face her, Lightning wasn't sure what she would do at this point. She realized she was losing control of her emotions, the reality that Fang may leave any time she wanted, was throwing Lightning into a whirlwind that terrified her.

"It doesn't matter?" Fang echoed, noticing that Lightning was slightly trembling as she bent over the desk, her shoulders tense. She slammed her fists into the desk, next to Lightning's hands, angry that Lightning wasn't responding to her. "I'm made for destruction, how do you think I _feel_?"

"_Leaving_ is not the answer." Lightning sighed lightly, disliking the husky timbre in her own tone.

"That's not good enough." Fang's words pushed Lightning. She was tired of their games, she knew what was going on between them, it was smacking her in the face every time she looked at Lightning, and Questra had made a mockery of them because of it. "I'm going to protect my family, Sunshine."

Lightning punched the desk, the nickname rung loud her ears. She detested it. _Sunshine_. Fang only called her that to tease her, not when she was threatening to break her inside and open a hurricane of emotions she'd rather not deal with, right now. Fang wanted to leave, to protect them, it was noble and stupid, and it _hurt_. Lightning whirled around, her stony, blue eyes stabbing into Fang. She realized that the brunette looked just as enflamed.

"So you're going to leave us?" Lightning's hot breath blew softly into Fang's face as the soldier continued to stare into her, their lips a hairbreadth apart, their bodies almost pressed together, intimately. Fang felt the sides of her arms lightly touch Lightning's sides as she continued to pin her against the desk.

"Does it bother you, Sunshine?" Fang asked. She saw Lightning clench her jaw, not realizing that her use of the familiar and endearing nickname was throwing Lightning into a rage. She saw Lightning lean back against the desk, breathless, flushed in anger and something else.

Lightning did not mistake the challenge she saw in Fang's eyes as the brunette's eyes quickly darted around her face, darting between her lips and eyes. Fang was grabbing the deadbolt to her feelings and repeatedly striking into it with an iron clad fist, trying to bend her, begging her to let Fang in.

"Yes." Lightning's response was simple though Fang could hear the affliction in the voice and the heartfelt response startled her. A stillness settled between them as Lightning continued to watch Fang, expectantly, curious to see what the brunette would do. Fang leaned forward slightly and the soldier leaned back against the desk, her heart pounding and soaring, all at the same time.

"Woah."

They sharply turned their heads, irritated at the interruption.

"S-Sorry. I, uh…" Sazh shook his head, averting his eyes, though he couldn't figure out why. Fang just had Lightning pinned to the desk, that was it. It didn't look like he was interrupting something so personal, hell, he reasoned, he'd even talk to Snow like that, except for the part where their lips would almost meet, that wasn't his style. "Uhm, didn't meant to interrupt…" He was glad for his dark skin, he was sure he was blushing, they just looked so _raw_. "Lightning, Sergeant, talk…to ya." Sazh spoke rapidly, Fang was pinning him with a glare so deadly he was sure his dead mother could feel it.

Fang slowly straightened up and stepped away from the desk, putting space between her and Lightning.

Lightning nodded curtly and stood up, watching Fang with an intensity that made the brunette weak in the knees. She walked over to Sazh, "Thank you," she clipped politely.

"Yup, no problemo." Sazh shuffled to the side as she passed him. He glanced back at Fang who was now watching him with amusement.

"Look like you're about to have a heart attack, old man."

"Yeah, shut up. Shut the damn door, next time, or zip the tent, whatever." Sazh babbled, palming his forehead. He turned around; ignoring the light laugh that followed him all the way outside.

XXXXXXX

Boots crunched across the grass and Lightning turned her head and pulled her gunblade out of her holster, ready to strike the intruder. She tensed, expecting to see a head of curly, brown hair emerge out of the shadows.

"You're so jumpy, it's just me." Vanille raised her hands in surrender, eyeing Lightning with trepidation. She watched the raised blade glimmer under the moonlight and gulped.

"It's the middle of the night," Lightning defended, by way of explanation. She sheepishly holstered her blade, turning once again to observe the plains before them. They were a day's drive away from New Bodhum and so far, since she and Fang had gotten back, things had been quiet. Things were too quiet, given all the excitement that happened over the last two weeks. She had ordered the remaining privates to take shifts in the evening and stand guard, which had proven pointless because Lightning was still unable to sleep, knowing that Questra could come for them, any time.

Lightning watched as Vanille took a seat next to her under the midnight sky, showing her she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. The redhead crossed her legs and looked up at Lightning, waiting for the soldier to join her.

"What is it?" Lightning frowned, unsure of what Vanille wanted.

Vanille rolled her eyes and patted the ground next to her, signaling her to sit down. The soldier knelt down next to her, on her knees, feeling a bit awkward. She knew the conversation was coming but she wasn't one for long emotional discussions, which, from the look on Vanille's face, that's exactly what was about to happen.

"What are you going to do when we get back?" Vanille looked at Lightning, deciding that was the best way to start the conversation.

"I need to speak to the General." Lightning took a blade of grass between her fingers, idly twisting it around, "I don't know. He's still out there."

Vanille nodded, knowing who Lightning meant.

The soldier pursed her lips, getting tired of the circular logic that plagued her mind. After the long discussion in the tent, two days ago, they still weren't any closer to figuring out what needed to be done. Were they just supposed to wait for Questra to come to them? To Fang?

"Fang is getting more and more restless." Vanille glanced worriedly back at her tent, finally getting to the heart of her concern. "I'm worried she's really going to leave."

Lightning turned sharply to her, her eyes narrowing. She and Fang never did settle that argument, they didn't have time. It must be getting worse, if Vanille was picking up the subtle hints. Lightning grabbed a handful of grass, gripping it between her fingers with a firm pull.

"Not because she's scared." Vanille winced as she saw Lightning continue to rip into the grass, stewing next to her. Maybe this wasn't a great idea. She normally wouldn't have done this, talk to Lightning about Fang behind the brunette's back but she didn't know what do. It shattered her, the real possibility of losing Fang; she didn't know what else to do.

"She thinks that she'd be protecting us." Lightning spoke quietly next to her, amazed at herself for defending Fang. Her tone was gentle and understanding and Vanille let out a sigh of relief.

"Well," Vanille paused, unsure of how her next words would be taken, "I've tried talking to her, again, but, she can be stubborn…" Vanille saw the soldier nod her wholehearted agreement, "…as stubborn as you…"

Lightning raised her eyebrow at Vanille.

"I mean, that's not a bad thing…just…" Vanille quickly tried to amend her statement as Lightning pierced into her with frosty eyes. "You guys are stubborn so, you…know how it is." She rolled her eyes as the corners of Lightning's lips turned upward, letting her know the glare was for show. "You should talk to her."

Lightning laughed lightly, thinking back to their heated discussion. "I've tried. It's like talking to a brick wall."

"How do you think she feels?" Vanille ignored the real glare Lightning gave her, normally she would have been shaking in her boots as those icy eyes stabbed into her, but again, desperate times called for desperate measures. This was _Fang_ they were talking about, and she wasn't going to lose Fang. "Try harder."

Lightning gaped at her, surprised again at the steel tone in Vanille's voice. Green eyes bore into hers, meeting her head on, demanding and ablaze. Lightning wondered if she somehow got tossed into a parallel universe. The soldier glanced up at the sky, nope, it was the same universe. She pinched her hand, nope she wasn't dreaming either.

"I'm trying but I can't fix this one on my own." Vanille said a moment later, smirking at the quizzical expression on Lightning's face.

Lightning finally nodded, still silent. Vanille could see the cloudiness in her eyes as she pondered the words. The redhead could pull out her last and final card, Fang's feelings towards Lightning, but she was certain that wasn't such a big secret, anymore. Vanille wasn't stupid, she knew what it meant, Fang summoning Lightning to her, if that wasn't the most romantic thing she'd ever heard, she didn't know what was. Surely, Lightning had to realize this on _some _level. She wasn't surprised that Fang called to her, but adding Lightning into the enigma of Fang's heart was a new and interesting dynamic. One she secretly wanted to see develop but she knew Lightning and Fang wouldn't take kindly if she were to pull her influence there. As far as she was concerned, they deserved to be happy; she didn't get what the big deal was.

"So stubborn," Vanille muttered in a low tone, her voice laced with annoyance.

"What?" The remark was so sudden and uncalled for that Lightning was sure she was going to suffer from whiplash in the morning.

"Nothing." Vanille stood up, finally giving Lightning a genuine smile. "So you'll try harder?"

"Yes."

"You promise?"

Lightning nodded again, looking up at the redhead, deciding that it must be a sister thing that made her so tame around the petite redhead. "Yes. I promise," she said, sincerely.

Vanille lit up with a blinding smile and she quickly bent down and gave Lightning a hug, squeezing her shoulders. Lightning clumsily returned the hug, awkwardly patting her on the back, somewhat stupefied by the display of affection.

"Good night!"

"Good night, Vanille."

XXXXXXXX

Lightning stormed into the General's office, shoving Lieutenant Galvin in the room. He stumbled inside, hissing under his breath. General Brohdmir looked up from the report he had been glossing over and immediately sat back on his chair, folding his hands over the desk. Lightning stopped in the middle of the office and Fang followed her inside.

"I read your report." Brohdmir turned to Lightning, ignoring Galvin as he plopped down on the chair, his hands cuffed behind his back.

"Good." Lightning's cold voice filled the room, her eyes menacing. "Then, I'm sure you know that the Lieutenant is under arrest?"

Fang leaned back against the wall, content to let Lightning drive. She looked pretty damn angry and intimidating right now. Fang slightly grinned, feeling a brief moment of pity for the General as the woman before him quaked in rage. She'd been on the receiving end of that fiery temper many times herself and she always found herself morbidly fascinated whenever she got to see it directed at someone else.

"Yes," Brohdmir answered, knowing what was coming next.

"Good. Then you know I'm also placing you under arrest for ordering the assassination of a civilian." Lightning waited for his response.

"Yes." Brohdmir took his glasses off, slowly running a hand through his peppered hair. He read the report, many times over. He wasn't angry that Lightning was gunning for him; he was more upset with himself. Eight members of the squad, murdered. The death toll sat heavy in his heart; he never expected anything like that. The beasts that tore through his men like hungry hounds, what were they? Where did they come from? It was too late now. Brohdmir sighed heavily, trying to convey his regret. "I never meant for this to happen."

Lightning scoffed, shifting her weight on her feet. She could see the remorse heavy on his shoulders and she ignored it. His first mistake was betraying her. "I don't care. I want to know _why_?"

He mulled over the simple question. Lightning could be asking him many things. Why did he send them away? Why were they attacked? Why did he issue clandestine orders? He glanced over at Fang, seeing green eyes studying him, assessing him.

"I was told Fang was sent to destroy our world." Brohdmir looked back at Lightning and noticed she wasn't surprised with his confession. "I was told she would wake from stasis with one, single objective in mind. To destroy all of us." Brohdmir stood up and walked over to his office window. "I didn't believe it but then Fang really did wake up and the other half of the warning suddenly didn't seem so farfetched."

Brohdmir briefly closed his eyes. "The rest," he turned towards Lightning, "well, you know."

A dark epitome overshadowed Fang as she heard the General's explanation. She knew he was speaking the truth. Fang was able to fathom his reasons for wanting her killed, she couldn't blame him, he was doing what he thought needed to be done, eliminate a threat, and she was the threat. Lightning and Vanille could scream at her until they were blue in the face but Fang knew, deep down, what she needed to do.

"Who told you this?" Fang asked, quietly.

The General sighed, glancing around the room. He glared at Fang. "You don't know?"

Fang gave the General a dirty look.

"Her name is Solistaria," he finally answered.

Fang sighed heavily and crossed her arms at the new information. She sifted through all her memories, trying to see if the name rang any bells. It didn't. She had no idea who Solistaria was.

"Who is she?" Lightning demanded.

"She claims she is a God." Brohdmir expected to see Lightning and Fang look at him like he had gone insane, he expected ridicule and laughter. He wasn't sure if he was happy that they weren't looking at him like that. "You believe me?"

Brohdmir turned to Lightning when Fang didn't answer him. Lightning gave him a blank stare, refusing to elaborate.

"I think they met another one," Galvin finally spoke up, from the chair, having been silent through the entire exchange.

Lightning immediately punched him in the face, snapping his head against the seat. Galvin howled, feeling his nose break. He cursed the handcuffs that still held him in place. "You bitch-"

His head snapped back as her fist crushed into him again. He cried out in pain and tears pooled at the corner of his eyes. He glared at Lightning who raised her eyebrow at him, daring him to speak again. He wisely kept his mouth shut. He glanced at Fang, scowling at her smirk.

"You met Questra?" Brohdmir asked, ignoring the Lieutenant who continued to snivel as blood dripped from his nose to his shirt. "So it's true, Solistaria was correct."

"No. She was _not correct_," Fang growled, stepping away from the wall. "I'm going to kill Questra, and if I see her, I'm going to kill her too."

"Pray tell us, how will you kill a God?" Brohdmir laughed in dismay when Fang didn't answer.

"I'll figure it out," Fang promised.

Lightning turned around, walking towards the office door. Fang didn't need to justify anything to the General, he was their enemy. "Take a good, long look at your office, General. You won't be seeing it for a long time."

Brohdmir laughed bitterly. "By the way, Lightning," he called out before she could leave. She paused, waiting for his words. "The request for your promotion came back with _high_ praise." He sighed heavily. "Congratulations, Colonel."

Lightning ignored the irony. She opened the door and stepped to the side to let Amodar in. He gave her a grim nod. "Please come with me, General."

Brohdmir stepped forward, allowing Amodar to escort him and Lieutenant Galvin away, into one of the cells. Lightning and Fang briskly walked out to the parking lot, seeing the rest of their friends waiting for them.

"What now?" Snow asked her when she stopped in front of them. They had driven straight from Pulse into PSICOM Headquarters, not even pausing to relish the feeling of being back in civilization.

Lightning shrugged her shoulders, opening the door to the truck. She looked at Sazh and Hope as they waited for her. She could see the exhaustion on their faces, even though they didn't bemoan her for it. She let her shoulders slump. Three weeks of being away from home, from Serah. Three weeks of death, gore, a different realm, and an angry and childish God that wanted Fang to kill everyone. She didn't have a map to guide her through this mess, she needed to keep a close eye on Fang, and now they had to worry about a woman named Solistaria. Lightning sighed, deciding to keep things simple for now. She needed a long, hot shower, some real food, and a big, warm bed. That seemed like a good place to start.

"Let's go home." Lightning had to smile at the grateful chorus of sighs she heard as soon as the words left her mouth.

XXXXXXXXX

Fang slowly opened her eyes, startled when she saw a ceiling above her and walls surrounding every side. She sat up and shrugged the duvet off her body. She looked down, noticing Vanille next to her, peacefully asleep, so sure in her safety next to Fang that nothing would wake her until she was ready.

How wrong she was.

Fang stood up, annoyed when the bed creaked as her weight was lifted. She quietly crept around the room, looking for her shoes and different clothes than the pajamas she was wearing.

Serah had gone out with Dajh, shopping for her and Vanille, while they were gone. It was sweet and touched Fang in more ways than anyone would know. It was nice that people cared about her and Vanille, like family. Fang was impressed; Serah had even managed to guess their sizes, too. She sighed softly as she folded and packed her Sari into her bag.

She quietly slipped into snug jeans and black tank top – easy, comfortable, and warm. She finished the plain outfit with a black jacket, draping the hood over her head, the brim of it settling right over her eyebrows, hiding most of her face.

Fang walked over to Vanille, kneeling on the ground next to her Oerban sister. She brushed the soft red hair away from Vanille's face and kissed her forehead, glad that out of the both of them, the shorter girl slept like a hibernating bear during winter.

"I'm sorry, Vanille." Fang's quiet voice filled the room and Vanille gently nuzzled into her hand. A soft, content sigh escaped her mouth, and she continued to sleep. Fang continued a moment later, swallowing thickly. "I know we promised to stick together, but, I also promised to protect you." Fang paused. Her chest felt heavy, her stomach empty, and her eyes were burning. She ignored the sensations and pressed on. "This is my way of keepin' ya safe, kiddo." A tear trickled down her cheek. "I won't be here when you wake up, but you're smart, you'll come around to my way to thinkin'."

Fang slowly stood up, ignoring the throbbing ache in her chest. She was going against everything she believed but, things were going to get ugly, she could feel it, like an ominous specter hanging over her shoulder. Vanille was in direct danger because of her, and Questra wasn't stupid, he'd figure out what she'd done. He would use Vanille and Lightning to tempt her to destroy the world, and, she couldn't bring herself to take that risk. Then there was Solistaria, another God that wanted her dead, and if she were to be honest with herself, it was with good reason. A soundless, hollow laugh filled her throat; she was always someone's tool, someone's pawn. Not anymore.

She clenched her fists and grabbed her lance that was propped against the wall. They couldn't fight two Gods, she knew that.

She soundlessly made her way down the stairs, years of hunting and tracking aiding her stealthy escape. The house was dark and void of life as she crept to the front door. She gave one last, wistful look around the house, glad that Lightning wasn't awake to see her go. She couldn't face the soldier right now, it would be too difficult and she was sure Lightning wouldn't understand.

She walked out into the night, the cold air slapping her face, mocking in its harsh winds. She walked down the sidewalk, towards the edge of town, heading in the direction of Gran Pulse.

Frosty, blue eyes narrowed in anger as they watched the retreating silhouette walk down the street, and seemingly out of their lives. Lightning ignored the ache in her chest as she realized what Fang intended to do. She pushed the discomfort away and focused on her anger, it hurt less that way. She shoved her hands into the pocket of her coat, making sure to follow a safe distance behind.

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><p>Feedback is appreciated, as always :P<p> 


	16. Chapter 16

Fang finally stopped along a ravine she found just outside town. She had a few more hours until the sun rose but she didn't plan on watching the tendrils of pink rays break over the horizon. She had stayed up the day before and watched the sun rise over Gran Pulse, her home, knowing it would be her last.

She sighed and listened to the stream of water lapping against the stones, quiet and calming, almost serene. However, the soft hiss of the night air, along with the icy chill in her hands, harsh and biting, reminded her that tranquility was a luxury she could no longer afford.

Closing her eyes, she felt the pain of her actions, past and present, from her first lonely night in the Orphanage, where she first met Vanille, to walking out of Lightning's house - knowing she may never see her family again. She took a moment to relive each painful memory, relishing the sorrow that filled her with a yearning so deep she was sure she'd collapse. She thought of Questra, and welcomed the rage that threatened to overwhelm her with its boiling currents. Fang held her breath, saturating herself with emotion - until a floodgate was felt, unlocking inside and rushing forward, threatening to sweep her away. She raised a trembling hand and brought it up to her face, noticing the green luminescence that lit her skin when she held her palm in front of her eyes. It was time.

Fang grabbed her lance and closed her eyes once again, feeling her powers coursing through her veins, the sensation almost intoxicating as it slammed against her chest and mind, wanting to be freed. She raised her arm, gripping her lance and she imagined a portal, so thick and endless, that it would carry her away; away from everyone she loved so she could protect them.

"I expected more from you."

Fang's glowing eyes snapped open in surprise, her lance still raised high above her head. Through the haze of her power, she recognized the voice. She turned her head, pulling the hood of her jacket away as she watched Lightning, standing a few feet away from her, arms crossed and hip cocked to the side.

"I shoulda known," Fang grumbled.

"Just like that?" Lightning paused, briefly, taking a moment to calm the waver in her voice. "You're going to abandon everyone?"

Lightning's bitter tone cut into Fang, like a thousand knives. "I'm saving everyone," Fang amended. She kept her voice firm, cool. She couldn't let Lightning reason her out of leaving, not when she had already made up her mind.

"Is that what you told Vanille?"

Fang shook her head, she had to hand it to Light; she knew just where to cut. "Vanille will understand."

"When?" Lightning stepped forward, animosity filling her tone. "Next week? Next year? Ten years?" Her voice continued to rise with each word, "_When_ will she understand?"

Fang lowered her lance; her shining eyes alight with green fire, already knowing all the answers to Lightning's questions.

"When will she understand, that you _abandoned_ her?" Lightning clenched her fists as her heart threatened to pound out of her chest and into the dirt. '_Abandoned me', _she thought, but did not say. She felt a tempest of emotions rise within her and she gritted her teeth, begging for control.

Fang continued to silently regard the soldier, letting the words wash over her. Her first instinct was to envelope the pink haired woman in a warm hug, but she knew if Lightning hugged her back, it would be too much, and then Fang would never be able to follow through with her plan. It was good Lightning was angry with her; it would make everything easier in the end.

They stared at each other for a seemingly endless amount of time, the sound of rustling leaves and streaming water between them. Lightning waited for an answer as several emotions sprinted through Fang's face, and she felt her heart sink further when Fang slowly shook her head.

"I'm protectin' my family, Light, you know that. I promised." Fang loved what Lightning was trying to do, and damn if she didn't look beautiful in all her fury. Fang would cherish the memory forever. Lightning would eventually understand; the soldier knew sacrifice, like a close friend; they both did, no matter how much it hurt.

Fang raised her lance, ready to open a portal, and Lightning sprinted forward, not wasting any time. In slow motion, she watched the lance continue its descent, knowing that if it struck the ground, she would never see Fang again. With a mighty burst of adrenaline, she launched herself off her feet, stretching her body, and tackled Fang before the brunette could finish her task.

She heard Fang yell out in surprise as they both crashed into the dirt. They rolled around, wrestling in a heap of entangled limbs, and Fang's lance slipped from her grasp, rolling away. She shoved Lightning off of her, mindful of her strength.

"Damn it, Sunshine! What the hell!" Fang scrambled on her hands and knees trying to crawl away. She fell back on her stomach when Lightning grabbed her leg and began dragging her across the dirt, further away from her lance.

"I made a promise too," Lightning grunted, as she gripped Fang's ankles with both her hands, trying to pin the brunette to the ground. She tightened her grip as Fang continued to try and wriggle away; angling her body away from the Oerban's flailing legs.

Fang took the opportunity to flip on her back and kick Lightning away, causing the soldier to lose her balance and fall on her back. "Oh yeah, what's that?" Fang scrambled up, trying to find her lance.

Lightning gracefully flipped back on to her feet. She looked at Fang, noticing they were both panting from the exertion. "I promised Vanille you wouldn't leave."

Fang frowned. When did they start working against her? She shook her head and shifted into a fighting stance when she realized that Lightning wasn't going to let her go. Why couldn't she understand it was for the best? "You shouldn't make promises ya can't keep."

Lightning snorted, arrogantly. "I _never_ make promises I can't keep." She cocked her leg back and raised her fists, mirroring Fang's stance.

A strained silence filled the night air, the wind picking up, as both women waited for the other to step down. When the moment passed, the tension gave way, and they both charged forward simultaneously.

A flurry of punches erupted from Lightning, quick and unrelenting, spurred on by purpose, and she forced the Oerban into a defensive stance. Fang found herself dodging and blocking, unable to find an opening as the soldier continued to try and strike her with a combination of speedy kicks and punches. Fang realized Lightning was holding back her strength but not her speed. A swift jab connected with the brunette's stomach, and she recoiled.

Fang snarled, rubbing her stomach and she stepped back. "I'm gonna have to knock you out, to get outta here? Is that it?"

Lightning stepped back and began pacing back and forth, agitated with the Oerban's stubborness. Fang wasn't leaving, Lightning wasn't going to allow it, and she realized if Fang really did render her unconscious, the brunette would take off. It hurt and angered her, on more levels than she cared to acknowledge. She studied the striking green eyes that continued to watch her, and her heart fluttered, causing her to curl her fingers into fists, making her tense and edgy inside. "You're going to have to do much more than that."

Fang's eyes narrowed as she watched Lightning pace back and forth, like an angry lion that had not yet seized its prey. "That sounds like a challenge, Sunshine."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

Fang took a very brief second to wonder if there was a double meaning in the soldier's words. She smirked and crouched low to the ground. Lightning responded in kind, arching her eyebrow, inviting Fang to attack with a curl of her fingers. The brunette took the invitation and lunged forward but Lightning flipped back and retaliated with a roundhouse kick that Fang barely managed to duck. She grabbed Lightning's leg just as she was lowering it and tried to throw the soldier off balance. They struggled against each other as Lightning tried to take her leg back, clutching Fang's shoulders for balance, making sure to grasp the fabric of the brunette's black jacket so that if she went down, Fang would go down with her. They realized they weren't fighting, they were grappling, which made things increasingly difficult, neither woman truly wanting to hurt the other.

Lightning barked in anger when she felt her leg being towed closer, almost around the brunette's hip. She found herself pressed against Fang, one leg hiked up, still in Fang's grasp, and she huffed in anger when the Oerban bent down, trying to grab her other ankle. Lightning grabbed the front of the Oerban's jacket and lifted her other leg up before Fang could grab it, hooking it around the brunette's calf. Fang tipped forward as Lightning continued to squirm against her, using her weight to effectively keep Fang unbalanced. The brunette let out a surprised yell, and she dropped Lightning's other foot, automatically bracing her hands to catch her fall. Lightning immediately brought her heel up to the brunette's stomach, careful not to kick, and flipped Fang over her body as her own body fell into the dirt.

Fang landed on her back with a loud grunt, the wind knocked out of her chest. She slowly stood up, panting and sweaty as she brushed the dirt and grass off her clothes. Fang realized she wasn't going to be able to hold back her strength if they continued fighting. Lightning was faster, but she was stronger and she was tired of being thrown around like a sack of potatoes. "Sunshine, I don't wanna hurt you."

Lightning laughed, hollow and disbelieving. "Sunshine?" she echoed. Between Fang trying to sneak away in the middle of the night, to the use of her nickname, Lightning felt her hurt feelings rush to the forefront of her chest, through her anger. She grabbed at the dirt, grunting as she stood up. "You already are hurting me."

Fang studied the soldier in earnest, the heartfelt and sincere admission almost breaking her resolve. "I'm trying to protect you," Fang replied, closing her eyes briefly. "I'm sorry, Sunshi-," Fang stopped, seeing the deadly glare Lightning gave her. The brunette's eyes glowed brightly and Lightning nearly fell to her knees at the pain she saw churning in the eerie, green depths.

They stood in silence, regarding each other, lightly panting from their struggle. Fang turned around and walked over to her lance, deciding that maybe Lightning had finally given up. She picked her lance up and watched the soldier for any more physical attempts, her eyes and the moon the only light between them.

Lightning watched the actions of the Oerban in defeated silence. Fang was going to leave - leave them, leave her. She shook her head, her eyes narrowing into slits. "No." Her cool voice made the Oerban pause in surprise. "I made a promise." She stalked towards the brunette, deciding that she'd had enough. "You don't get it, do you?" She shook her head as she continued to stomp towards Fang. She couldn't see straight anymore. She was going to break the lance in half and haul Fang over her shoulder and back home if she had to. "What's it going to take?" she muttered, more to herself than to Fang.

Fang tensed as Lightning approached her. She noticed the look in her blue eyes: frantic, angry, and frightened. She swallowed, why did Lightning have to look so beautiful? The Oerban was sure she was going to get punched, really pummeled. Lightning looked like she ready to serve death on a nice warm platter.

She realized she couldn't fight Lightning anymore, not like this - this wasn't how she wanted to say goodbye. "Sunshine, please, I don't wanna fight." Fang took a step back, trying to reason with her, the words slipping out of her mouth before she could stop them.

Lightning's eyes flared in resentment when she heard the familiar term of endearment. It pricked her, like a thousand tiny needles. The brunette was threatening to shatter the padlock on her feelings, slowly suffocating her like a ton of heavy bricks against her chest. Indignation burst through her. "What did I say?" she snapped. "Stop calling me," Lightning finally reached her and shoved Fang back, "_Sunshine!_" Lightning snarled.

She watched as Fang stumbled back, and she continued to follow the brunette, match step for step, her pain sitting in her heart like bile.

Fang wasn't sure to fight or flee from the predatory expression on Lightning's face. She realized, at that very moment, how heartbroken the soldier was. "I'm sorr-"

Lightning snorted, interrupting her harshly, deciding no apologies could ever fix the ache of what Fang was about to do. "You want to go so badly?" She didn't want for an answer as Fang continued to watch her, dumbfounded.

Fang grunted in pain when her back finally collided against a tree. Her green eyes narrowed when the soldier cornered her, both her hands pinning Fang's shoulder against the trunk. She frowned, infuriated, and let her own arms hang limply at her sides.

Lightning stared at her, heatedly, torn between stepping away or keeping Fang pinned to the tree and doing - what? She wasn't sure. Fang wanted to go, and for the first time ever, Lightning would break a promise; she found it cruel.

Fang scowled as she stared hard into the glaciers of Lightning's eyes, noticing her chest heaving, and her skin flushed. Her gleaming green eyes ravenously took in Lightning's features, so close to her face, their bodies nearly pressed together, and the heat that Lightning was emitting settled low in her belly. Lightning apparently despised the nickname, okay, she reasoned, she got that message, loud and clear. "Look, I-" she attempted again, and Lightning dug her fingers into her shoulders, shaking her head, her eyes narrowing in threat. Fang frowned, annoyed at being interrupted, again. She wanted to apologize, but even she knew her apologies would do nothing to curb the growing distance between them. She sighed, unable to help herself, and lowered her eyes to Lightning's lips, noticing how shapely and soft they looked.

Lightning licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry when she followed the Oerban's gaze. "Fine. Go, just leave," she allowed, struggling to keep her head back, realizing that Fang's own lips were like a magnet that beckoned her. She shook her head, keeping a lid on the chaotic emotions that were threatening to spill out. "-But don't you _ever_ call me that, again, not like _this._" Lightning whispered, her voice calm and collected, not giving hint to the turmoil she felt within.

Fang wasn't fooled; she saw the taunting, angry, wounded challenge in the clear blue eyes that were consuming her, despite the soft tone that caressed her. Fang comprehended that she finally had Lightning where she truly needed her and Lightning had her, though the soldier still did not realize it. She raised her eyebrow and tilted her head; her next words deliberate, so there was no room for confusion.

"All right, _Claire."_

Lightning's eyes widened a fraction and she growled in warning. Fang was pushing her, bending her, and Lightning wasn't going to run. The lid popped off her feelings and fell to the ground, and she gave in as her body tensed with a new surge of adrenaline. She swiftly covered the distance between their lips, crushing them into Fang's, bruising in its intensity.

Fang's eyes widened and closed immediately as she felt Lightning's lips press against her own, warm and supple. She stood still, a thousand thoughts going through her mind. Lightning had soft lips, Lightning really did keep her promises, Lightning was going to make her stay and they were all in grave danger because of it, but more importantly, she focused on the feeling of Lightning's lips on hers, unmoving, undemanding, but pleading.

Fang let out a sigh and finally dropped her lance, letting it fall to the ground with a soft thud. Lightning heard the lance drop, and decided there was never a sweeter sound. She felt the storm of her emotions finally settle and calm. She wrapped her arms around Fang's neck, on instinct, and felt Fang's tongue peek out, seeking permission. She opened her mouth further, sighing when it gained entry and she felt Fang's arms rest around her waist, pressing their bodies tightly together.

They panted into the kiss, their mouths and tongues sliding together into a rhythm that felt natural, leaving their bodies humming in pleasure and mounting passion. Their tongues continued to play and mingle, tasting each other. Lightning trailed her fingers across Fang's hair, wanting her impossibly closer and she felt Fang's hands clutch her hips, eagerly.

Their emotions took over, desperation, and they were lost in each other, a world of their own. They never noticed the figure that stood before them; his gray eyes glowing like a violent and lonely, rainy day.

"So it is you."

Lightning and Fang both reluctantly parted, both of them deciding they could never catch a break. They turned towards the sound of the voice, their lips swollen as they heaved for air. The tall man continued to watch both women, his gray eyes glowing in the dark, his blonde hair waving with the wind, an unreadable expression on his face.

Lightning stepped away from Fang and pulled her gunblade out of her holster, still shaking from her kiss with Fang.

Fang's green eyes continued to glow, as bright as his, and he watched her, almost sad. "I wasn't sure if it was you or your redheaded friend."

Fang bent down and picked up her lance, trying to calm herself. "Who are you?" She studied his odd yellow and red robes with confusion.

"I'm here to kill you," he answered instead. There was no glee in his voice; it was cold, simple, stoic.

"Another one, eh?" Fang shook her head and smirked at Lightning. "When did I make so many friends?"

"Must be that Yun charm," Lightning answered, shifting her gunblade back into a gun.

The man watched them, unamused with the banter. He raised his hand back and a fireball ignited from his fingertips that grew and grew. Fang and Lightning tensed, watching the fire engulf his entire hand. He twitched his wrist, throwing the ball of flame towards them.

They both quickly dodged to the side as the tree behind them fell over with a loud crash, blazing in flames. Fang jumped up, grabbing Lightning's hand as a burst of fireballs continued to fly in their direction. Lightning turned around, firing several shots from her gun into him but her bullets were deflected as the air around him turned murky; ricocheting the bullets.

Fang ducked a large branch as a fireball crashed into the trees above them, causing the wood to splinter. She ran faster, Lightning beside her, narrowly missing the hellish spheres of fire that continued to pound into the ground, one step behind them.

"Watch it!" Lightning yelled, coming to a full stop before a large chasm in the earth. She grabbed Fang as the Oerban skidded to a stop, nearly plunging into the abyss below.

"Cornered, like rats," Fang hissed angrily. She could see him, approaching them, and she tensed; they had nowhere to run. She concentrated hard, clenching and unclenching her fist. A fireball grew around her fingers and she instrinctually tried to shake the flames away, expecting them to sear into her flesh. When no pain came, she let the fire grow and swung her arm back; throwing it into the stranger that had stopped to observe her magic.

He immediately evaporated the fireball with a douse of water that rose from his feet. "That was impressive, but it's not enough."

"Let's see what else I can do." Fang gritted her teeth and focused on the ground beneath the man's feet, her arm shaking as her power rushed through her body, making her shiver from the heady pressure threatening to explode out of her skin.

The ground beneath him began to quake and tremble, small fissures running underneath his sandals, and he fell back when the terrain suddenly crested beneath him, throwing him backwards, several feet into the air.

"I'm impressed," Lightning mumbled, next to the brunette. She took a step forward, her gunblade still in gun form. "Where is he?" She tried to peer across the rubble of earth where the man was launched from.

Fang stepped forward, her ears straining to hear any usual sounds that would indicate where he'd gone. She knew he couldn't have just given up on them. "I'm not sur-", Fang was interrupted as a loud gust of wind tore through the trees, savagely blowing her hair back. She immediately grabbed Lightning's arm, feeling the force of the gale become intense and howling, causing her to take a step back. "Not good!" she yelled, as she and Lightning were suddenly forced to their knees as a ferocious gust of wind whipped through them, threatening to lift them away and into the chasm behind them.

Lightning dug her nails into the dirt, fighting to stay where she was. The force of the windstorm was roaring in its sound and she found it difficult to breathe as it continued to assault them. She looked up through squinted eyes, seeing the man before them, his arms outstretched, his grey eyes large and unfocused as he continued his spell. She felt Fang's hand on her lower back, steadying her as she tried to raise herself on her knees. A shaky arm fought against the tempest and she stabilized her hand, unable to keep it entirely straight. She realized she wouldn't be able to fire a clean shot, but a distraction would be enough. She fired a barrage of bullets out of her gun, aiming in his general direction.

The wind calmed immediately, back into the natural breeze of the night air, as her bullets rung out through the ravine. Fang and Lightning stood up and watched as the man clutched his shoulder, blood seeping through his fingers.

The man raised one arm, angrily. "Why are you helping her?" he shouted, and a bolt of lightning struck the large tree next to them, like a whip cracking from the sky. They heard the loud splinter of a hefty branch and Fang looked up, shoving Lightning to the side.

"Move!" Fang barely managed to finish the warning as the branch landed on her back, sending her crashing into the ground.

"Fang!" Lightning bent down and shook her, trying to rouse her but Fang did not respond. She watched the man slowly walk towards them and she pulled Fang's arms, unable to remove her from the huge branch that she was pinned under. Lightning knelt next to Fang and the man stopped several feet away, regarding her.

"I'm not after you. I am going to end this, tonight. Please step away." He continued to clutch his shoulder, breathing heavily through the pain as droplets of blood painted his hand red.

"I have a promise to keep." She shifted her blade back and charged into him, raising her blade high. He immediately waved his good arm, summoning his shield before her gunblade could make impact. Lightning's body connected with the shield and she found herself propelled backwards as a current sent a painful shock through her body. She stabbed her blade into the dirt, using it as a break to stop herself from skidding, and she flipped back on her feet. She took several steps back, putting herself between Fang and the man.

The man watched her, impressed with the maneuver and continued to walk forward, toward the unconscious Oerban, not daunted by her presence.

"Damn it," Lightning muttered, she was running out of ideas. She shifted her gunblade back into a gun and fired another round of bullets. She growled in frustration as the bullets were deflected, his shield lighting up as each metal piece made impact.

"I'm only going to ask you, once more. Step away from her," the man stated, his gray eyes continuing to study her, his calm voice doing nothing to soothe her.

Lightning tore her eyes away from him and back to Fang. She glanced at him again, unsettled by the gleam in his gray eyes. He was really going to kill Fang. She lightly patted Fang's cheek but the Oerban was unresponsive. Lightning clenched her eyes as she tried to think of a way out of the situation. She groaned as a sinking feeling settled in the pit of her stomach.

She closed her eyes, realizing she had no choice. There was nothing she could do. They were outmatched. Fang would kill her when she woke up, but really, what was she supposed to do? Lightning took a deep breath, unsure if it would work but it had to, she'd deal with the consequences later. She wasn't going to let Fang die, that simply wasn't an option.

She called out to him, her voice loud and clear, throwing her fear for Fang into her voice, screaming out with her feelings. The earth rumbled and shook around them and she held Fang tightly, waiting. The man that watched, his dirty blonde hair fluttering in the wind, flinched as the name left her lips.

"I _love_ how you say my name, darling."

Lightning looked up, seeing the mop of curly brown hair and the dark eyes that made her want to shudder in revulsion. Questra arched a bushy eyebrow, amused. "Did you two have a lover's spat?" He laughed at his own joke and then frowned at her, reminding her of the last conversation they had. "I thought I made myself clear the last time we spoke, darling."

Lightning rolled her eyes, unsure if she glad to see him. "He's trying to kill Fang." She pointed behind Questra's shoulder. She saw his dark eyes flash in provocation as the words left her lips. He turned around, following her finger and groaned.

"Doriel, lovely to see you." Questra's eyes studied Doriel's form and he snickered. "Still wearing those stupid looking robes?"

Doriel yelled, throwing his hand back and launching a volley of fireballs at the three of them. Lightning winced, refusing to move, still holding Fang and praying she did the right thing. She watched as Questra waved his hand and encased the three of them in a shield, absorbing the flames. Questra chuckled, glancing at her, smelling her relief curling around her like smoke.

He turned back to Doriel, decidedly irritated. "What are you so angry about?" Questra asked him, truly perplexed.

Doriel's jaw dropped in disbelief. "You should know better than to meddle in my world!"

Lightning blanched. That's who he was? She sighed. _It just gets better and better._

"Well you're not going to kill Fang." Questra placed his hands on his hips. "She's of no use to me _dead_." He rubbed his chin, addressing Doriel like he was a senseless child.

"Lower your shield and I will forgive you for this, Questra."

"I think not." Questra turned around and smirked at Lightning. He clicked in the back of his throat as he studied Fang. "Step aside darling, I need to take Fang home for some ole' TLC."

Lightning glared at him, her voice heated. "You're taking me with you."

Questra laughed, misinterpreting her reasons. "Doriel won't hurt you, darling." Questra turned his head back, sneering at Doriel, "He's too much of a teddy bear."

Lightning gently lowered Fang's head into the grass and stood up. She shifted her gunblade back and poked the side of Questra's neck with the tip of her blade. "No."

Questra's dark eyes narrowed in annoyance. "You have a lot of attitude for a mere mortal. I could lower this shield that's protecting you."

"Then Fang will die, and we both don't want to see that happen."

"If you stab me, the shield will be lowered and Fang will die, anyway," Questra taunted.

"If that shield is lowered, I am going to kill everybody!" Doriel thundered, throwing another fireball at them. The flames hit the shield, encasing the outer shell in an inferno that quickly dissipated, leaving the three of them unscathed.

"You've managed to piss off your Creator, Lightning." Questra laughed, amused.

Lightning dug her blade a little deeper into Questra's neck, "Your point?"

"You're just dying to be alone with me, hmm?" Questra winced when he felt the blade drag over his skin, lightly nicking him, "Ouch," he muttered. He glared at her angrily, "Fine," he spat out, "you're lucky I'm such a _nice _guy." He clapped his hands together, "Bye Doriel," he intoned, not bothering to turn around.

Lightning gripped Fang's hand as a rift appeared right on top of them, quickly whirling around their limbs, like a vortex. Her eyes met Doriel's, hard and unblinking and he clenched his jaw in annoyance. The last thing she saw were those thundery, gray eyes, watching her.

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><p>Feedback, always appreciated :D<p> 


	17. Chapter 17

Questra reeled back in his lair; an isolated place outside of time. It gave him pause to think. He had promptly dispatched Fang and Lightning back at his temple; he needed safe haven - Doriel was back, "Complications," he muttered.

He sipped on his ale, swirling the amber liquid in his cup, _nectar of the gods._ He roared into laughter when the sweet substance rushed through his immortal veins, making him dizzy with glee.

"So," he said out loud, "it was Doriel that awakened my little jewel…" The ale of the gods was fuzzing his thoughts. He swilled another gulp. His intoxicated brain puzzled, thoughts disjointed and fragmented, "How did Doriel even know about my weapon?" He hummed in anger, Doriel would obviously want to kill Fang, but that's wherein the problem arose. Fang was his and he would protect her until she completed her mission. Questra took another swallow of the syrupy nectar; of course, it didn't help that Fang was so disobedient. Perhaps he had erred in his choice?

"Oh, this is rich." The dry words flashed through his lair, followed by a mocking feminine laugh. "You always talk out loud when you're intoxicated."

He turned, still in his bitter dilemma, and it showed on his face.

Seconds from rage that his private place had been violated, Questra paused when he regarded the woman standing in front of him. "Solistaria," he murmured, and his heart fluttered against his chest. He wanted to be enraged but the presence of his sister culled his angry thoughts.

The two siblings regarded each other, and Solistaria laughed again, sensing her brother's suggestive thoughts. She sauntered towards him and sat on the table, next to his hand that clutched the handle of his mug. She was here on business, not to cater to his disturbing fantasies.

"What brings you here, _sister_?" Questra sat back in his chair, watching his sister with distaste and irritation. "Did _Doriel_," the name fell from his lips with disgust, "send you to rein me in?"

Solistaria laughed at the patronizing words; she had Questra wrapped around her finger, and they both knew it. "No, I would never betray my own brother," Solistaria replied.

"Is that so?" Questra whispered, openly admiring her form that was perched on his table. "Why has Doriel returned?" His brown eyes challenged her, and he inhaled deeply, trying to sense her emotions.

Questra sighed a moment later; his sister had always been gifted in masking the scent of emotions. It used to excite him, the uncertainty of her motives, especially towards him. However, in this very moment, it only made him angry and mistrustful.

"I didn't summon him, love, he sensed your little tool. Did you really think he'd remain idle while you try to destroy his world?" Solistaria asked. "Which, by the way-" Solistaria studied her nails, "Why is it still intact? You said this plan was foolproof."

Questra snorted, rubbing his chin. "It was but Doriel is back; your little _darling_," he mocked, his tone condescending and harsh. "Funny, he should return right on the heel of Fang's awakening." He studied her closely, not hiding the fact that he felt she had somehow betrayed him.

Solistaria shrugged and reached her hand out and ran slender fingers through his curly, brown hair, sensing his doubt. The effect was immediate, and he relaxed at the touch.

"You big, stupid, oaf," she muttered, giving his hair a sharp tug. He growled and tore his head away from her combing fingers. "It wasn't Doriel that awoke your precious jewel," she jibbed.

Questra raised an eyebrow at the words and Solistaria sneered at her drunken brother, watching his feeble mind mold. "It was her bond mate, you know her." She waved a hand in the air, snapping her fingers. "What is her pathetic tag?"

Questra frowned and he focused on the table, his mind whirling at the information. "Lightning?" he whispered, more to himself than to her. His eyes narrowed, that made sense, why hadn't he seen it sooner?

Solistaria rolled her eyes at the dawning recognition on Questra's face; did she have to draw everything out in crayon for everyone? "Yes, dear brother." She stood up, smirking at his scowling form. "Maybe that's all the motivation Fang needs? Hmm?"

She wisped out of existence, leaving Questra in his solitude. He tore from his chair and exploded. "No more cutesy games…time to have a chat with these Goddamn _mortals._"

XXXXXX

Fang let out a soft groan and opened her eyes, her entire back was aching. She sat up from the bed, resting on her hands, trying to shake away the fuzzy edges of her fatigue. Confused, green eyes studied the covers around her, wondering what happened. It took a moment to remember. She stiffened, she was fighting with Lightning, and then, there was…Lightning kissed her.

She brought her hands to her lips, _helluva kiss_. The rest of the events rapidly flashed through her head and she glanced around the room, taking in the stone walls, dusty shelves, and wooden table at the center of the room. Fang shot out of bed, stumbling to her knees when another wrack of pain tore through her. She saw her lance on propped on the wall next to the bed and quickly snatched it.

"Fang, be careful."

Fang's head snapped up at the familiar voice. Lightning rushed over to her and raised her by her arms, placing her firmly on the bed.

Fang's gaze tore around the room. "Where are we?" she asked, even though she already knew the answer. Her eyes locked with Lightning, and the soldier gave her an apologetic look.

"Back in Questra's realm," Lightning answered, avoiding the brunette's questioning gaze. She felt relief swell in her chest, Fang was finally awake. She had been beside herself with concern for the brunette's wellbeing.

"Why? How?"

Lightning sighed; she knew her next words would not be well received. "Doriel, the man that was chasing us," Lightning explained, "was going to kill you." She ignored the puckered brow on Fang's face and sat down on the bed, next to her. "I called out to him."

Fang shot up from the bed, staring at the pink-haired woman in disbelief and anger. "You _called_ _out _him? Why would you do that?" Fang yelled out, ignoring the pain in her body as she prowled around the large room. "He's our _enemy_," she spat out. She couldn't believe Lightning would do such a thing, not after what he did to them, what he did to her.

Lightning stood up and crossed her arms. "What was I supposed to do? Let Doriel kill you?" She rolled her eyes when Fang didn't respond. "This whole martyr attitude is getting tiresome, Fang." Lightning still couldn't believe that if she hadn't been practically spying on the taller Oerban, Fang would be long gone by now, never to be seen by anyone. Even worse, or maybe not, she honestly didn't know, what if Doriel had overpowered her when she was by herself, and killed her?

"You should've let him finish me, Light," Fang snapped, answering all of Lightning's ponderings. "This isn't a game, Questra wants me to kill all of you and you summon him?" She raised her arms in the air, "What the hell were you thinking?" She huffed in incense, she felt like Lightning wasn't grasping the magnitude of the situation.

"And Doriel wants to kill you, how is that any better?" Lightning shot back. She sat back down on the bed, calming her anger. "Did you really expect me to let him do that?" She wanted an honest answer. She studied the brunette and remembered their passionate embrace; it was thrilling and terrifying, and horribly timed.

"You should've just let me go," Fang mumbled after a long, moment. "Then we wouldn't be in this mess." She held up a hand before the soldier could argue further. "We need to get outta here."

Lightning stood up and walked over to the Oerban's extended hand, grasping it firmly in hers. "We're not done," Lightning warned, quelling her anger for the time being. They had more pressing issues to handle, other than Fang's martyr complex. She waited while Fang closed her eyes and watched her features cutely scrunch in concentration. When Fang opened them, they were glowing again.

"Looks like it's getting easier," Lightning stated, noting that only a few days ago Fang wasn't even aware of her own abilities.

"That's not a good thing." Fang took a moment to rub her thumb across Lightning's hand, unable to stop the urge. She felt Lightning grip her hand tighter, letting her know she still remembered what had happened before Doriel's unfortunate interruption. Fang sighed and opened a portal, Gran Pulse firmly pictured in her mind, and everything went dark.

XXXXX

Lightning and Fang walked through the door of her house, late in the afternoon. The others were probably wondering where they were and Fang wasn't looking forward to the massive quarrel that would ensue once the other former l'Cie found out what she had tried to do. They walked into the house, surprised to see that it looked silent and empty.

"Where'd everyone go off to?" Fang asked as she entered the silent house. She walked into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water to ease her dry throat.

"I'm not sure, let me call Serah." Lightning walked into the living room and towards the phone.

Fang climbed up the stairs and halted at the top steps, taking a moment to admire the soldier as she ambled into the living room.

On the way back to the house she had endured a mouthful from the soldier, the words '_martyr complex_' rung through her ears, along with '_stubborn fool'. _She wasn't hurt by the heated words; she could tell Lightning was genuinely worried about losing her. It was a shame they found themselves in the middle of a huge mess of angry Gods, she wished they had more time to explore the rising feelings that were developing between them.

Fang lightly shook her head and rounded the top of the stairs. She needed to talk to Vanille and let her know what was going on. She twisted the doorknob and opened the door, immediately halting her step when she viewed the scene before her.

She saw Vanille sitting on the bed, looking terrified, caught between looking at her stationary form by the doorway, or the curly, brown haired man sitting in a chair at the far corner of the room. Serah's face was deathly white as she kneeled beside Questra, his hand firmly around her arm. She heard a low groan and tore her eyes away from Questra, to the other side of room, seeing Snow in a clump on the ground, clutching his arm. His leg was bent in an odd angle, blood dripping from his forehead, as he watched Questra through furious, wrathful eyes.

Questra's eyes met hers, and he smiled, cold and chilling. He raised a dagger in the air, his hand digging into Serah's arm, spelling out his intentions loud and clear. He brought a finger to his lips, motioning Fang to remain silent. She felt her heart sink to her knees, _he knows. _She gripped the doorknob tighter, her knuckles white, causing the metal to groan in protest and felt a surge of adrenaline run through her.

"Fang, Serah isn't answering her phone…"

Fang heard Lightning climb up the stairs and she stiffened.

"I don't like this," Lightning spoke; it wasn't like her sister to not answer her phone. She paused, seeing Fang standing by the doorway of the guest bedroom, her back ramrod straight. "Fang?" She stepped closer to stand by the brunette, concerned with the odd behavior, and glanced into the room.

"Hello darling."

XXXXX

Solistaria watched the grey, thundery eyes that regarded her, stoic and silent. She waited, gazing at him innocently.

"What's the matter, love?" Solistaria asked, running a hand down his arm, the motion soothing and calming.

Doriel shrugged her arm off and stepped back. "Where is your brother?"

Solistaria frowned, slightly shrugging her shoulders. "Just because we are kin, does not mean I know his whereabouts."

The blonde haired man turned around to idly lean against a tree. He studied the scenery before him, Gran Pulse, just the way he remembered when he left. "He took Fang," he murmured, his voice spiked with hatred and loathing. "I almost had her."

Solistaria shook her head; this was old news to her, she had seen everything unfold from her vantage point atop a mountain. It was pathetic the way he came after Fang and Lightning. His own love towards his creatures was sickening; it made him weak, frail, pathetic. She kept her thoughts to herself, repressing her anger and disgust, if he caught scent everything would be over.

"I am going to kill Questra," Doriel's quiet voice interrupted her musings, and she snapped her head towards him at the words. He waited for a response, knowing that his words must have stung her; Questra was a loathsome Deity, but he was still her brother.

Solistaria nodded solemnly and her shoulders sagged with a heavy heart. She leaked her grief between them, making him recoil at the dejection his words created.

"I'm sorry, but it must be done." He watched a tear dribble down her cheek and he ignored the pang in his heart when she vanished from his sight.

XXXXX

"Get away from her," Lightning snarled, forcing her way past Fang to stand in the middle of the guest bedroom. She watched as Questra dragged the dagger across the armrest of the seat, ripping the cloth and stuffing from the seams.

"You're in no position to make demands of me," Questra replied. He smirked at her and licked his lips. "Your sister looks just like you." He shoved Serah closer who struggled against his grip and his eyes flashed to Snow, who was attempting to crawl towards him, despite his shattered leg. "Ah ah," he waved the dagger back and forth in the air, taunting everyone. He shoved Serah closer, so that she was forced to sit against the armrest, and flashed the dagger towards her neck.

"Get away from her," Lightning shouted. Her eyes met Serah's. "Are you all right?" She drew in a deep breath when Serah nodded, and Lightning sighed in relief that she wasn't yet hurt. Her knees threatened to collapse beneath her; Questra was playing a dirty and dangerous game. She felt Fang come up behind her.

"Let her go," Fang snarled, her eyes darting between the blade and Serah.

Questra snickered, loudly. "No," he snapped. He inhaled deeply, studying Lightning as she watched him. He tasted terror and dread wafting from her direction. He bowed his head in satisfaction and he lowered the dagger from Serah's neck.

Vanille swallowed, her throat dry, and she sat unmoving on the bed. She watched Fang and Lightning, feeling the pressure of the room rise into a stifling tension. Things were not going to end well, she could feel it in her gut, and she wanted to heave her empty stomach all over the floor.

"What do you want?" Lightning asked, her ruthless, blue eyes staring into Questra. "She doesn't have anything to do with this," Lightning growled, motioning towards Serah.

Questra sneered at her. "I don't want her." He raised an eyebrow. "If you don't behave, I will simply take her with me and leave," he threatened. The words left his mouth, earnest and grave.

"Me. I'm the one you want." Fang stepped forward, roughly shoving Lightning to the side. "Let everyone go an' take me." She waited, her heart pumping in her chest, pleading that she was right. She'd go with him, endure another nine hundred years, several times over, if she was right in her assumption. Questra wanted her, she was his instrument, and there was no need to drag anyone else into this nightmare.

Questra snickered again and Fang's heart fell at the sound. "No. Very noble of you, though." He paused, bemused at the heavy emotions in the room; mortals were so very emotional, and he didn't understand how they coped. He raised the dagger again, noticing the flinch that rippled through the soldier, and he pointed the tip at her, winking slyly. "I want you."

"No, you can't have her." Fang stepped forward, her eyes gleaming and bright. She was going to kill him, sever each of his limbs for daring to come into her home and come after her family, and for wanting to take Lightning away. She was ready to lunge, only to be held back by strong arms around her shoulders.

"Stop, Fang." Lightning shoved Fang back when Questra raised the dagger again, bringing the tip to rest against Serah's neck. He crossed his legs and waited, ignoring the grunt of pain that fell from the younger Farron's lips when he pressed the tip into her skin.

"I tried to warn you, darling," Questra goaded, speaking directly to Fang. "You've left me no choice." He shrugged, giving her a pitying look. "I'm forced to corner you like a caged, little animal."

"I'm not destroyin' everyone," Fang yelled, feeling like the world was crumbling beneath her feet. The options were rapidly dwindling; she was running out of choices, free will was beginning to feel like distant luxury that she could no longer afford.

"That may be your decision," Questra growled. "We'll see what you decide after I've taken your little girlfriend." He glanced at Lightning, raising a questioning eyebrow. He dipped his head when she sent a wave of emotion towards him; unwavering resolve. Questra smiled.

"You're not taking her," Fang snarled, moving to step towards him.

Lightning's hand shot out, holding her back. Her mind was spinning at the events. Questra wanted her and he had Serah at knifepoint. She wasn't going to risk anything, not like this, not with Serah's life at stake. Absolutely not. This changed everything.

"What are you doing?" Fang yelled in her face, angrily shoving her away. Wild, green eyes tore into solemn, livid blue and Fang felt the wind knock out of her lungs. She wanted to collapse on her knees; she could see the answer in Lightning's eyes.

Lightning shoved her hands against the Oerban's shoulders and Fang stumbled back. "That's my sister," Lightning growled. She gave the brunette a sad look, begging for empathy. "If the tables were reversed…" Lightning trailed off, knowing she didn't need to paint the picture any clearer.

"Claire, please don't," Serah cried out, trying to jerk away from Questra's grip. "No! Don't leave me." He rolled his eyes as she thrashed against his hand; very emotional indeed.

Vanille bit her lip, wanting to cry at the rapidly unfolding events. "Lightning, you can't," she choked out. She gripped the bed sheets, shaking her head back and forth, ready to throw herself at the soldier's feet.

Snow crawled forward again, looking at her, his face white in pain and terror. "Sis?"

Lightning ignored the shocked outcry that filled the room and locked eyes with Questra. "Will you leave Serah alone?"

Questra nodded, silent and observant, ignoring the sweltering rise of anger and pain that filled the room. "Remove your blade."

Lightning promptly reached for the hilt of her gunblade and unsheathed it, still watching Serah who was shaking her head in horror. Lightning ignored the tears she saw streaming down her sister's cheeks and gave her a soft smile. She dropped the gunblade to the ground and took a step towards them.

Fang's hand shot out to grab her elbow, trying to halt her step. "Light," Fang muttered, her voice hoarse and shaken, "There has to be another way."

Lightning sighed and raised a hand to Fang's cheek. She stroked it softly and smiled when the Oerban closed her eyes at the soft touch. "I'm sorry, Fang."

She felt Fang's grip loosen on her arm and she walked towards the end of the room. Questra immediately stood up, raising the dagger to Serah's neck in case the soldier tried anything once she was within range. Lightning snarled at the gesture and he smirked in response. "Can never be too careful around you, darling," he purred.

Lightning stood in front of him and held her arm out. She tensed when she felt him wrap his fingers around her wrist, tight and confining. He shoved Serah away and she staggered forward and into Fang's arms. Vanille shot up from the bed and ran to Serah and Fang. They huddled against the taller Oerban, watching Questra and Lightning.

"I'm going to kill you," Lightning whispered, her voice flat and calm. "I will find a way to do it."

"Perhaps, but not today," Questra softly replied. He dipped his head and smirked at the four occupants in the room. He observed Fang, feeling her agony and heartache. He raised an eyebrow and watched her closely. "The ball is in your court." He raised his hand and opened a threshold.

Fang ran forward and crashed into the wall where Questra and Lightning had just been standing. She slammed her fist into the wall; she couldn't breath, the room felt like a vacuum. She heard Serah behind her, racking sobs, and a single tear trickled down her own cheek. She didn't know what to do.

* * *

><p>TBC :P<p> 


	18. Chapter 18

Fang lifted off the ground and regained herself, remembering others in the room had been hurt. Her attention turned to Snow, wincing at his broken leg. Serah ran over to him and knelt beside him, hugging his head to her chest.

"Are you okay?" Serah's hushed voice filled the quiet room.

Snow nodded and gripped the edge of the dresser, trying to stand up. "Never been better," he grunted, trying to pull himself up. Serah lifted his arm and placed it around her shoulder, wrapping her arm around his waist. She glanced at Fang while Snow braced his weight on one leg.

Fang snapped out of her stupor and rushed over to them. She positioned his other arm around her shoulder and guided him to the edge of the bed. Snow fell into it with a groan of relief and Serah took a moment to embrace him.

Fang didn't bother asking what happened. Briefly her mind thought about how Questra didn't kill Snow, _just broke his leg, knocked him around,_ she dryly thought. She turned to the door when Vanille walked in with a glass of water and some bandages.

"We need to find her." Snow waved away the glass of water and struggled to stand up, ignoring the protest from Serah and Vanille.

Fang promptly shoved him back on the bed. "I need to find her, you need to rest," she softly retorted, sharing a look with Serah.

"I can help." He let his shoulders slump, feeling Serah rubbing his back, trying to pacify him. He believed he should have been stronger, for Light and Serah. Instead, he got to watch Lightning surrender herself to save Serah, because he failed to protect his fiancé, _again_. He struggled to stand on one leg again, only to find himself shoved back into the mattress.

"You're lucky to be alive," Fang answered, not removing her hand. "He could've killed you." She sighed when he closed his eyes, ashamed. "You couldn't have done anythin' differently, he came for her." She cleared her dry throat, turning her attention to the mess of broken bone and flesh that was his leg. "Let's see if we can patch you up," she muttered, motioning for Vanille to come closer. She met his eyes and gave him a heart wrenching look. "You're not the only one who failed here."

XXXXX

Fang regarded her tornado of damage around the room; the overturned bed, the collapsed bookshelves, shattered windows, the smashed table and broken chair. She clenched her fist. They weren't here, not in Questra's temple, most likely not in his realm. He was elsewhere - with Lightning. Fang snarled and stabbed her lance into the wall, pulverizing the stone bricks until they were pebbles and dust.

She had opened a portal back to Questra's realm, committed to hunting him down like a wild, rabid dog, but he wasn't here. She was enraged, furious, and she desperately clung to the strong emotions, it was easier. She sighed and opened another portal, back to Gran Pulse.

XXXX

"Did you find her?" Snow asked the moment Fang stepped into the house.

"No," she grumbled, moving past him. He quieted behind her, sensing her dour temperament, if the glowing eyes were any indication. It seemed like every time he looked at her, they were illuminated - for the last two days - as if she couldn't shut them off.

Fang stormed into the living room; she felt helpless and lost, her thoughts filled with what Questra was doing to Lightning. Was she chained like an animal? Was he hurting her? Was he throwing himself on her? _Where did he take her?_ She snarled and the room quaked at the surge of power, tipping over a lamp and sending a picture frame crashing to the floor.

"Fang!" Vanille grabbed her arm, trying to distract her as the house shook and trembled.

Fang blinked and glanced down at the small hand. The house stilled and she observed Vanille, her eyes searching and distant.

"Fang, snap out of it." Vanille snapped her fingers in her face and waved her hand around, it would have been comical - if not for the constant tremors they'd been enduring for the last two days.

Fang lightly shook her head and glanced around the room, taking in the damage. She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

Vanille nodded and gave her a soft smile. "You're getting stronger, you need to be careful," she gently reminded, poking the taller Oerban in the stomach.

"Can't you shut those off?" Sazh asked, stepping away from the wall and walking over to the two women. He raised his index and middle finger to his eyes and then pointed the two digits at her.

Fang sighed and rubbed her eyes. "I can't…I don't know how." She closed her eyes, she couldn't suppress her emotions. Lightning consumed every thought she had. How could Lightning just leave like that? Leave them - after the speech she had to endure on the way back to the house? _Martyr complex. _They could have tried to rescue Serah; instead Lightning just rolled over and left them, left her. She wanted to be angry but a small part of her, one she tried to suppress, admired Lightning's impressive bravery. Still, she was now alone and defenseless_; Lightning and Questra_. She growled, deep in her chest; if he put his filthy hands on her, like he did the first time…

"Damn it, Fang!" Sazh yelled when another soft tremble ran through the house. A glass tipped from the table and rolled to the ground.

Illuminated green eyes snapped opened and stared at him, dumbfounded.

"You're projecting, again," Vanille needlessly offered.

Sazh motioned around the room, "_When_ you get Lightning back, she won't even have a house to come home to!"

Fang groaned and walked into the kitchen, missing the worrying glances exchanged between Sazh and Vanille. She emerged a second later, a broom in hand, and walked over to the shattered pictured frame. "I don't know what's goin' on," she mumbled, hastily sweeping up the shards. She saw Serah walk down the stairs and straightened her back to give the younger Farron a meaningful glance. "I'm sorry, Serah."

Serah nodded through her red eyes and gave a small smile, understanding the layers behind the apology. "It's all right, Fang, I understand."

"Turn it off," Sazh demanded, breaking the somber stillness that had filled the room.

"How? Tell me," Fang snapped, roughly grabbing the dustpan to sweep the glass off the floor.

"Think happy thoughts?" Snow suggested, moving to sit on the couch. He shrugged his shoulders at the four pairs of eyes that settled on him. He shifted his tender leg; at least he could walk on it.

"You need to calm down," Sazh urged, gentling his voice. He understood where the strong emotions were stemming from but Fang couldn't afford to lose control. "We want all want her back, but you've got a lil' extra something'," he pointed to her eyes again, "You need to try and control it – not the other way around."

Fang took a moment to consider his words. She knew that already, but it was easier said than done. Still, she did need to be careful; a little temperance would do well. It was getting easier to use her abilities and the knowledge made her sick to her stomach. At the same time, she needed to get stronger, if she ever wanted to see Lightning again. She sighed heavily at the conundrum.

Fang simply nodded after several long seconds. Sazh sighed and scratched his head. He was hoping for a better response. "If you bring the house down, I'm just gonna say, _I told you so_."

"Yeah, I hear ya," Fang evenly countered. She walked towards the couch and took a seat next to Snow, ignoring the worried glances around the room. "Gimme a minute," she mumbled, not addressing anyone in particular. The Oerban took several deep breaths, trying to find the valve to her powers so she could sever it, temporarily. The room remained silent and she was grateful. She opened her eyes, unsure of how much time had actually passed, and gave a small grin at the happy looks. "Better?"

XXXXXX

Lightning glanced around the small room as she sat on the small bed. It didn't look that much different than Questra's temple, at least she wasn't chained, or something _equally ridiculous. _She ran a hand down the side of her body, disliking how vulnerable she felt without her gunblade. She couldn't remember the last time it wasn't within reaching grasp, always there for her, like an extension of her limbs.

"I knew getting you away from that stupid knife was a good idea."

Lightning was torn from her thoughts and she raised her eyes, seeing Questra standing by the doorway to the small cell.

"What do you want?" Lightning stood up and crossed her arms, meeting him square in the eye.

Questra ignored her and walked towards the small table in the room. Lightning watched him closely. He made himself scarce in the last two days, or was it three? She was losing count. She raised an eyebrow when she noticed a tray of food in his hands. Upon observation, Lightning lightly sniffed the air and her stomach growled at the sight and smell. She flinched at the betrayal of her own body and ignored the sharp hunger pangs.

Questra placed the tray of food on the table and sat down in one of the chairs, tapping his hand against the surface, glancing amusedly between her stomach and face. He arched a bushy eyebrow and pushed the tray to the opposite end of the table in open invitation. Lightning remained where she was, ignoring the gesture.

Questra sighed heavily. "You're very stubborn." He continued when she remained silent and impassive. "It's been three days; you could have said something, darling." He snorted lightly.

Lightning rolled her eyes. "What do you want?" she asked again.

"I don't eat." Questra began and Lightning balked at the almost, apologetic tone. "It's easy to forget you," he waved his hand dismissively in her direction, "_mortals_, require sustenance."

Lightning scoffed, still unmoving. Her blue eyes slotted and she idly wished she had a blunt object to hurl at him. "That's very kind of you," she sneered. "I think I'll pass."

"Very well," Questa answered. His eyes flashed, narrow and dangerously. "I'm not going to let you starve," he growled, irritated by her behavior. "I will force feed you, if I must. I'm sure that's something you'd enjoy?"

Lightning snarled and clenched her fists, her body hitching at the thought of his vile hands anywhere near her. "I'll kill you," she responded, smoothly. She grinned like a predator when Questra cringed, no doubt imaging what she'd do to him if given the chance.

"And I'll just come back and we'll do it all over again," Questra muttered, more to himself. "You look emaciated, dear; Fang is already terribly upset with me." He sniffed the air, sensing the rouse of emotions at the mention of the Oerban's name. "Fang would be incredibly angry with you, if she saw you trying to starve yourself, simply to defy me."

Lightning snorted and stepped towards the table, deciding that her boot would be an acceptable weapon, if it came to that. She shoved the chair out and sat down, grabbing the; _plastic fork and knife_… She raised her eyes, mocking him; for all his posturing and gags, she made him uncomfortable, _Good_.

She began to eat, not tasting the food; it was a necessary evil and she needed her strength, what she didn't understand was why he continued to observe her, fascinated. She set the fork down and sighed, not bothering to hide her annoyance.

"Why don't you do it yourself?" Lightning snapped, stabbing the fork into the plate of food.

"Do what?" Questra asked, wondering she could kill him with plastic utensils. He frowned; she may be able to gouge his eyes out - which could lead to death, he was certain. He moved his chair back a good foot away from the table, _just in case._

"Destroy our world," Lightning clarified, leaning back into the chair and crossing her legs.

"I can't," Questra answered, mustering his patience. The soldier waited and he snarled at the line of questioning, disliking how her blue eyes were belittling him.

"You're a _God_, you can't do it yourself? You have to rely on a _mortal_ to do your dirty work?" The soldier raised an eyebrow, satisfied that she was needling him.

Questra slammed his fist on the table and the tray rattled. Lightning didn't flinch and waited for the outburst to come. He regarded her; she was his pet, and she was demanding answers for things she could never understand. He shrugged his lanky form; she wasn't going anywhere.

Questra suddenly laughed. "There is only one _God_ that can destroy your world." He raised an eyebrow, sneering at her. "The rest of us have to resort to pawns," he hissed.

Lightning frowned, a little surprised at the admission. "Doriel," she guessed. She supposed that was a good thing; he seemed relentless in his mission to keep his world safe.

Questra snorted. "That's correct, darling. We may be Gods, but there is a greater balance of power. We can't go around destroying each other's worlds." He chuckled, amused. "Could you imagine?"

The soldier ignored the airy laugh, not finding anything funny about the situation. "Why are you doing this?" Lightning asked.

Questra tensed and his eyes flashed to a glowing black. "You needn't concern yourself," he snarled.

Lightning snorted at the threatening body language. "Fang won't do it, you can keep me here forever, but she won't."

Questra's eyes widened and he laughed again, loud and bellowing. The pink haired woman raised an eyebrow at the sudden eruption. He sat back down on the chair, crossing his ankle over his knee.

"You underestimate your bond mate," he jeered, his eyes twinkling in malice. "I know it was you that brought her out of stasis."

Lightning raised an eyebrow, unsure if she heard correctly. "Fang did it herself."

Questra chuckled. "You don't know what that is, do you," he derided.

"Then tell me," she barked, finally losing her temper. He smiled, mocking her, and Lightning rolled her eyes. "You're an idiot," she growled, shoveling another spoonful of, she glanced down at the bowl of food, _meat-paste,_ into her mouth.

Questra rumbled in his chest and his hand ignited in flames. "What did you call me?"

"Idiot." Lightning spoke slow and unhurried, making sure to enunciate each letter. The flames grew around his fingers and she felt the heat radiate towards her face and body.

Questra stood up, walking towards her with the ball of flame. "You have a lot of nerve. I am going to sear the flesh from your pretty face."

Lightning scowled and shrugged her shoulders, unthreatened by the fireball that was coming towards her. She was steadfast in her belief that just because she was his prisoner didn't mean she was going to cower and walk around eggshells for him, just because he was a _God_.

Questra stopped in front of her and huffed at her defiance. His nostrils flared, trying to scent her emotions. He caught the aroma of anger and hate, he sniffed harder and Lightning snorted, thinking how idiotic he looked standing over her, a fireball in his hand while he sniffed the air.

Questra growled when he caught scent of the amusement and he stepped back, irritated that she wasn't frightened.

"Are you done?" Lightning asked, bored with his childish antics.

Questra stepped away and the flames vanished from his hand. He cocked his head to the side, studying her. She was an enigma, it seemed. If he wanted her fear, he'd have to kill her, maim her, and even then he wasn't sure if she would truly fear him. "Just like Fang," he murmured.

Lightning frowned at the name, and immediately snuffed the line of thought that would follow. She did her best not to think of Fang in Questra's presence, her own emotions were too volatile. It was ironic - Questra had taken her away from everyone, but wanted to protect Fang and had even saved both their lives. Doriel wanted to protect his world, which she could understand, but that meant he wanted to kill Fang, which automatically sided Lightning with Quesrtra, who was holding her captive. She shook her head, she was going to give herself a headache.

"Who is Solistaria?" Lightning glanced at Questra, noticing that he was sitting back in his chair, quietly observing her.

Questra tilted his head and his brow furrowed in genuine surprise. "How do you know that name?"

Lightning ignored the question. "Do you know her?" She could see that he did but waited for his answer.

Questra nodded slightly, his features clouding in an emotion that Lightning couldn't identify. "Yes." He paused and leaned forward on the table. "Have you met her?"

Lightning shook her head and studied him closely, curious to see his reaction to her next words. "She wants Fang dead."

Questra recoiled and his eyes darkened again. "Don't lie to me, I will kill you."

The pink haired woman arched an eyebrow, sensing the gravity of the words that were softly uttered. "I have no reason to lie," she tersely retorted.

Questra leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "Tell me what you know, darling."

Lightning sat back and regarded him in stony silence. She knew Doriel and Questra were acquainted, that was a given, but Solistaria? How did she fit into all this? "All right," she conceded, finishing the last morsel of the meal. "And by the way, this meal you prepared - tasted awful."

Questra smiled dryly; judging from the way she polished off the bowl of food, he certainly doubted the sincerity of her remark.

XXXXXX

Fang walked along the ravine, kicking stones and dirt out of her path as she followed the stream of water. She ran through her memories as she stopped by a lone tree; she could almost see Lightning leaning into her, kissing her. She sighed and sat against the trunk. She needed to get out of the house, needed time to think.

"Where did you go," she whispered, studying the sky. Vast and endless possibilities, Light and Questra could be anywhere. Her eyes were glowing again, she didn't need a reflection to see it; she could feel it. It was heady and consuming, like pinpricks along her skin. She gave a humorless laugh; her abilities were tied to her own emotions and what better way to set a ticking time bomb into motion than taking away the one person who roused her feelings the most?

She was so angry and it was a struggle to contain it. She wanted to burst with her powers, send the earth around her roiling and churning, if only to ease the constant pressure she felt in her head and chest. Did she really have the power to destroy all this? Should she? To rescue Lightning? She gritted her teeth; Sazh was right, she needed to control it…but it would just be so easy to give in…

"Your powers are growing."

Fang tilted her head, recognizing the voice. She slowly stood up, seeing the blonde haired man studying her from afar. She snorted, that was one trick she didn't know, popping in and out of thin air, she was sick of everyone constantly interrupting her.

"Not in the mood right now." Fang grabbed her lance, twirling it around her fingers. She leaned against the tree and waited. "What's your deal, anyway?"

Doriel shrugged and walked towards her. "You are an abomination." He stopped and frowned. "You and Questra."

Fang frowned, more insulted that he had clumped her together with Questra than calling her an abomination. "I'm nothing like Questra," she snapped. "I just wanna be left alone."

Doriel nodded in understanding. "I will take no pleasure in ending your life, but you are too much of a threat to kept alive."

Fang stabbed her lance into the ground and tilted her head. "I really don't have time for ya, I need to find someone." She crossed her arms and her glowing, green eyes flashed dangerously. "Let's catch a rain check."

Doriel glowered and ignited both hands in blue fire. He held each hand out, palm up, and Fang watched the dancing flames with boredom.

"Don't try to delay this," Doriel replied.

Fang arched an eyebrow and leaned back against the tree. "Yup, I tried to warn you." She took a deep breath, reveling in the surge through her veins. She gripped her head, feeling dizzy with the sensation. She didn't fight it or try to control it; she wasn't going to die, not today, not by him. Lightning needed her. The ground quaked under her feet and Doriel took a startled step back. Fang smiled at his alarm. "I owe ya one, anyway."

Doriel growled and clapped his hands together, causing the blue flame to explode and surge against his hands. The blue inferno flew, directly towards Fang and she watched it spiral and gain speed as it neared her.

Fang waved her hand and it exploded into her with a loud blast that caused Doriel's hair to flutter back. The blue fire exploded around her and into the tree behind her, causing it to ignite in wild, angry flames.

He sighed in relief, it was done.

"That it?"

Doriel's eyes widened as the last remnants of the blue fire died around her shield, leaving her unmarked and very much alive. Fang didn't wait for an answer and sent a jolt of earth and rock towards him, causing the ground to heave under his feet.

Doriel swayed and staggered back, trying to remain upright while the earth crested under his feet. His gray eyes widened in surprise when torrents of fireballs were flung towards him. He fell on his back and waved his hand. His shield encased him, nearly a second too late and he cringed, feeling the heat of the flames disturbingly close to his body.

Fang took a step forward, shaking from the rush of magic dancing behind her eyes. Doriel crawled to his feet, keeping his shield locked into place and regarded her.

"Do really want to destroy your own home?"

Fang shook her head, feeling intoxicated from the current of her powers. "No," she answered honestly.

"Then let me end this," Doriel growled. A rising wave of rock and earth tumbled towards Fang and she found herself thrown on her back.

Doriel raised a burning branch into the air and hurled it towards the Oerban before she could get back on her feet. The branch glided in the air and hit her across the stomach, searing into her flesh. Fang cried out in pain and staggered to her feet, clutching her blackened skin.

She hissed and waved her shield back up before Doriel could surprise her again. He huffed in exasperation as he watched her mend the blistering flesh underneath her fingertips.

"You're a pest," he snarled.

"You wear stupid clothes," Fang retorted, rubbing her stomach. She glanced down, satisfied that her skin was healed. She straightened her shoulders and began walking towards him. "We can do this all day."

Doriel raised his hands to the air and the sky blackened under his summon. Fang stiffened, recognizing the darkened sky and she steadied her footing when the earth split underneath her feet.

"That's cheating," she yelled, taking a step back. She surveyed the area, wide-eyed. "Are you insane?"

Doriel stood immobile, his features straining in discomfort. "No, you must be killed." He continued his summoning spell, calling forth the beasts.

"You sound like a broken record," Fang yelled through the loud sound of shattering rock. She continued to move backwards and pointed her lance across the ravine. "You're gonna kill many innocent people," she shouted. She tore her gaze in the far distance, terrified for the town.

"No," Doriel corrected. "_You're_ going to many kill innocent people...the sacrifice of a few is nothing to stop you." He voice wavered in pain.

Fang heard snarling and teeth grinding from under the earth. Several claws grabbed at the open fissures, and she recognized the spikey, metal armor. They surrounded her as they struggled to climb out of the chasm Doriel had created. She counted at least six of them. If they ripped through her, they'd go into the city. Was Doriel so eager to kill her, he'd sacrifice hundreds of lives to do it?

Fang snarled and raised her lance in the air, watching as their torsos ominously climbed out from the earth; their beady, red eyes hungrily watching her. The Oerban let out a fierce battle cry and smashed the tip of her lance into the ground.

The earth shook and rattled. A shockwave erupted from underneath her lance, racing in every direction, followed by an explosion. Trees snapped in half, a cloud of dirt and rock tore through Doriel and he flew back into the air. The ground continued to violently quake and fissures ripped across the ravine, sending the beasts back into the void and sealing the open chasms. Fang crumpled to her knees, clutching her head with both hands. She noticed a small crater underneath her and heard the loud wail of sirens in the distance from the earthquake. Her head was pounding from the spill of power and she glanced at the darkened sky.

"That was impressive, darling."

Fang looked up, seeing Questra standing beside her, his hands on his hips as he glanced around the near-demolished ravine. She didn't answer him for fear that she'd vomit all over the ground. Fang rubbed her eyes, taking shallow breaths, trying to concentrate through the pressure of pain that plagued her body.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" Questra laughed and nudged her leg with his boot. He scanned the area, keeping a sharp eye out for his sister. If what Lightning had told him was true, he needed to keep a close eye on Fang. He'd confront his sister later. "Do it again, the pain will subside," he advised.

Fang gagged and let out a loud groan, unable to think of anything except the stabbing throb in her head. She felt a pressure growing inside her skull, making her see white, blinding flashes behind her eyes. She grabbed her nose when she tasted copper. She glanced at her fingers through blurred vision and saw blood.

"No," Fang panted, digging her fingers into the dirt. She could feel her stomach churning and her muscles stiffening, she wondered if she hemorrhaging from every part in her body.

Questra rolled his eyes and saw Doriel approach from the distance, looking disheveled and bewildered. "Doriel is a fluffy kitten, my dear. His powers are limited in this realm, unlike yours." Questra tapped his foot and combed his fingers through Fang's hair, clicking his tongue in feigned sympathy.

Fang shoved him away, grunting in pain from the jolting motion. "Get away from me," she gasped.

"If you want to see Lightning again, you'll do it," Questra threatened. "Bring the sky down, darling."

XXXXX

Lightning paced in her cell, deciding that cabin fever was a very real mental disorder. Questra had left a few moments ago, after she told him what she knew about Solistaria. He wasn't forthcoming about his knowledge, she didn't expect him to be, but at least she knew he would help Fang. She grunted, never mind that Fang was supposed to kill everyone and Questra was orchestrating everything. She rolled her eyes at the complexity of the situation. It didn't help that she was stuck in a different world with three angry Gods after Fang.

Lightning suddenly collapsed on her knees when a crippling pain tore through her head. She gasped and grabbed the bedframe, alarmed. She crawled on the mattress and grunted as a sharp spasm rolled through her body.

"Lovely."

Lightning turned her head and her eyes narrowed when they settled on a woman with long, red hair and green eyes, watching her from the table. She waved the pain away and struggled to stand on her feet, growling at the amused smile on the woman's face.

"Solistaria," Lightning barely managed. Her voice was hoarse and weak; what was going on? She could barely see straight. The gleeful expression on the redhead's face told her she was correct in her assumption.

"It seems your bond is in the final stages of merging," Solistaria clipped. She studied her nails and hopped on the wooden table, crossing her legs. She sniffed the air, smelling pain and confusion. "Fang," she explained, grinning sinisterly.

Lightning mumbled incoherently and flinched as drops of blood leaked from her nose. "What's going on?"

"Fang just tapped into a whole lotta juice." Solistaria laughed in derision. "You're strapped along for the ride." She licked her lips when Lightning let out a low groan and furiously wiped at her nose, trying to stop the bleeding. Solistaria shrugged sympathetically. "You're sharing the pain with her - a burden between bond mates."

Lightning stumbled to her feet and grabbed a chair to steady her weight. She could barely move, her limbs felt like lead and the room was spotted behind her eyes. She staggered away when Solistaria began to walk towards her. Lightning clenched her fist and wildly swung, furious when Solistaria easily caught it in her hand.

"I'm going to kill you," Lightning snarled, blinking furiously through her double vision. She tried to take her hand back and hissed in pain when tapered nails dug into her flesh, creating crescent moons around her knuckles.

Solistaria chuckled at her naivety and shoved the soldier towards the bed. Her hands dropped to her dress and she lifted the hem, exposing a curved dagger held in a black case. Lightning sat up and clenched her muscles, trying not to vomit all over the floor. She was in trouble; her equilibrium was gone, her muscles jelly, and her vision darkening. She saw Solistaria pull the sheathed dagger from the strap and brandish the blade between them.

"The merging of your bond can be very traumatizing," Solistaria gently explained. "Very painful." She smirked. "I suppose it's not very nice of me to take advantage of you in this state, hmm?" She walked towards the bed, seeing the soldier quivering in painful shocks.

Lightning attempted to roll off the bed but Solistaria jumped on her hips, pinning her in place. The soldier bucked, trying to dislodge the form above her, and swung her arms. She tasted blood from her nose and panted through the burning sensation that afflicted her body. Her skin felt like fire, like someone had poured gasoline on her and lit a match. Her eyes narrowed when Solistaria shoved her weak arms away and raised them over her head with one hand.

She raised the dagger to Lightning's stomach, lazily digging the tip in. The soldier snarled and shook her head, struggling to stay awake. She was so tired.

"Get off of me," Lightning shouted, struggling harder. She tensed when another wave of pain blinded her eyes, and she shook her head, trying to concentrate on the woman sitting on her.

"I will," Solistaria promised, "Just wait a minute." She leaned closer to the soldier, locking eyes with her. "Any second now, love," Solistaria whispered into her ear, and Lightning flinched in disgust.

Lightning's eyes widened when the pain suddenly exploded in her head and she glanced down to her stomach, wondering if Solistaria had stuck the blade in. She saw the blade, still above her skin, and she thrashed. A painful scream ripped through her throat as another throb of agony tore through her brain. She felt like her nerves were searing, like she was burning from the inside. Solistaria raised her head and relished the agonized scream. She sneered when Lightning's blue eyes flashed a glowing, cerulean blue.

"It's done," Solistaria whispered, and she shoved the dagger into the Lightning's stomach, twisting the blade deep inside her abdomen.

XXXXXX

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

Fang screamed and her back arched. Doriel and Questra cringed at the noise as it rung out across the ravine. She dug her nails into the dirt, heaving, and she grabbed her stomach, trying to wave away a phantom blade.

Questra encased them both in a shield and bent down, startled by her behavior. Headaches from the onslaught of power were normal for chosen mortals; screams of torture and agony were not. "What's wrong?"

Fang inhaled and the earth around them began to quake again. "Lightning," she grunted. She spit out a mouthful of blood and wiped her chin. She didn't know how she knew, but she could feel it, Lightning was in danger. "What did you do to her?" Fang snarled and grabbed Questra's hair, roughly shoving him to his knees so they were face to face. "Where is she?" she yelled into his face, her eyes frantic and wide.

Questra blinked, alarmed. "She's safe, Fang." His brow knitted in confusion and concern. "I wouldn't lie to you," he stated, disliking the terror and skepticism chiseled on her features.

Fang's face twisted in rage and she punched him across the face, sending them both sprawling into the dirt. Questra rubbed his jaw, irate, ready to give her a piece of his mind for always being so defiant until she pointed to her stomach. Questra's eyes widened at the pool of blood that covered her hands and sari.

Questra looked at Doriel and felt the blonde man's surge of repulsion and disgust fill the ravine. Doriel's head was cocked to the side, a quizzical expression his face.

"You're torturing a defenseless mortal that you've taken?" Doriel asked, appalled by the idea. "Why would you do such a thing?"

"I'm not torturing anyone, obviously. I'm standing right here you moron," Questra scathingly barked, insulted by the idea.

Fang stood up, her back slightly hunched from the wound in her abdomen. She didn't have time to play audience to the ethical and moral dilemmas between the two Gods, Lightning was in trouble. She could feel it, the same way she could feel air filling her lungs when she breathed. She settled her glare on Doriel. "I don't have time for this."

Doriel's fortified his shield when the words left her mouth. The brunette snarled and a flash of lightning tore through her finger tips and towards Doriel. The blonde haired man fell back when the shield around him splintered and the bolt struck him in the chest. He screamed and convulsed in seizures, collapsing to his knees when a hole tore from his chest.

"He is going to be extremely upset with you," Questra casually remarked, with a hint of pride.

"Where is she?" Fang yelled, still clutching her bleeding stomach. She tried to heal the wound and cringed when it continued gush blood, refusing to seal. "She's dying," Fang gasped and she grabbed his overcoat, pleading.

XXXXXX

Lightning grabbed the handle of the dagger, her face contorted in grimace, and she tried to sit up. Solistaria stepped away, tilting her head in curious amusement.

"Maybe I should have aimed for your heart?" She tapped her chin. "I'm certain I punctured some vital organs though, yes?"

Lightning staggered to her feet, wheezing in pain as her vision grew dim and cloudy. She ignored the words and fell to her knees. "Pray that you did," Lightning rasped, her glowing eyes brightening and dimming as her heart continued to pump in futility.

Solistaria watched her body crumple to the floor and she gave an evil smile. Questra had the right idea in mind, keeping Lightning away from Fang, but she felt he was too malleable. Her brother clearly had a soft spot for both women. She shrugged and smirked. The death of the Oerban's bond mate would undoubtedly kill Fang. Questra would go after Doriel in a fit of rage – things were finally looking up.

"Time to go," Solistaria whispered, kissing her fingertips and placing them against Lightning's clammy forehead. "Such a shame." She grabbed the soldier's limp hand and felt a disorientating wave of emotion fill the room. She opened a portal. "You're going to bleed to death," Solistaria murmured. "Death is fascinating; I look forward to watching it."

Solistaria vanished from the cell with Lightning's unconscious form.

XXXXXXXX

Fang and Questra stepped into the cell and froze at the scene before them. Fang rushed into the room, ignoring the gaping wound in her stomach, and stopped in front of a puddle of blood. Her eyes traversed through the stream, noticing that it began on the bed and dripped from the sheets to the floor.

Questra hesitated, troubled and stunned. "She was here when I left," he whispered. He saw Fang rush around the room and felt an odd sensation fill his chest when he scented her panic and heartache.

Fang glanced around the small room, not seeing anyone in it except for the small puddle of blood. She turned to Questra and shoved him against the wall. "Where is she? What did you do to her?" She gripped his neck with one hand and gave a vicious squeeze, feeling his windpipe bend under fingers. "You said she was safe!"

"I don't know," he wheezed, his eyes darting around the empty room. "She was fine when I left."

"Fine?" Fang shoved him away from the wall and pointed to the blood. "That's her blood, you did this!" She punched him across the face and followed him when he crashed into the table.

"No, I didn't," Questra snarled as he braced himself against the surface. His eyes narrowed dangerously. "Solistaria did this, that's the only explanation."

Fang stopped and her eyes widened. "You know who she is? She's trying to kill me!" She clutched her stomach, feeling the blood ooze between her fingers. She grunted through the pain and steadied her pounding heart.

Questra growled and straightened his shirt. "I know that," he snapped. "I thought Lightning was lying to me. I didn't know Solistaria would resort to this." Questra raised his arms and arched an eyebrow; his sister was full of surprises.

Fang fell to her knees, breathless. "She's fading…" She grabbed her stomach, feeling like her insides were twisting. She could feel the soldier's heartbeat singing in her veins, slow and faint, like dim whispers that were quieting, floating further and further away from her. "I can feel it," Fang choked out. "Where is she?" She looked at Questra, unable to hide her desperation.

Questra snarled and rushed over to the fallen brunette. He shoved his hand against her stomach, trying to heal the wound. She struggled against him, unsure of his intentions, and he bellowed in frustration. "Stop it, let me help. You're both linked, it seems. If we close one end, we can seal the other."

Fang gritted her teeth and placed her hand over his, into the open wound, mustering all her powers into mending it. "It's not closing," she muttered, feeling more blood leak out. She took shallow breaths, trying to fight a wave of blackness.

"Focus," Questra demanded. He barked in anger when Fang grabbed his shoulder, trying to remain sitting upright. "Damn it to hell, woman." He stood up and lifted her body, ignoring her shout of protest. He closed his eyes and opened a threshold.

XXXXXX

Serah dropped the glass she was carrying and screamed in alarm at the two forms standing in her living room.

"Do shut up," Questra snapped, rushing over to the couch. He gently laid Fang down; irritated that she was fading in and out of consciousness from the blood loss. Why couldn't he heal her?

Snow charged forward, seeing Fang and Questra drenched in blood. He yelled out and flung himself into the brown haired man, sending him crashing into a lamp. Questra shoved him away and ducked another punch.

He grunted when shots rang out, hitting him in the shoulder and sending him staggering backwards into the wall. Questra quickly summoned his shield, watching more bullets bounce off the barrier. "Irritating, pathetic mortals," he yelled, clutching his shoulder.

"What did you do to her?" Snow shouted, risking a glance towards Fang. "Where's Lightning?"

"Sonofabitch," Sazh snarled, firing more shots into the shield.

Vanille cried out and rushed towards the taller Oerban. "Fang?" She gawked at the open wound in her stomach; there was so much blood. She pressed her hands into the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. "Fang, are you okay?" Her frantic voice filled the room, causing the three men to stop and turn.

"She needs to be healed, quickly." Questra stepped forward, still in his shield, and addressed the petite redhead. "You can heal, isn't that right, darling?"

Vanille looked down at her hands, feeling Fang move underneath them. The brunette opened her eyes, trying to remain awake. "Gotta heal me, Light's dying," she weakly mumbled.

Serah rushed towards Fang, keeping one eye on Questra. "Where is she?"

"Don't know." Fang coughed and tried to sit up, holding her hand against her stomach.

Questra regarded Sazh and Snow with an evil eye. "Fang isn't strong enough to heal this, and neither is your little friend. It will take all three of us." He lowered his shield, raising an eyebrow when both men tensed. "If you kill me, she will die."

"Then what are you waitin' for?" Sazh snapped, refusing to lower his pistols.

Questra snorted and moved towards the couch. Vanille tensed and withdrew, disliking his proximity to her and Fang. She felt Fang grab her hand, red in blood, trying to reassure her.

"Come on, for Light," Fang whispered. She tensed in discomfort and blinked rapidly, trying to stay awake.

Questra rolled his eyes and grabbed Vanille's hands, shoving them towards Fang's stomach. The room quieted as the three pairs of hands pressed into the wound. Vanille grunted, feeling her head begin to throb and she pushed harder against the pressure, trying to close it. Questra growled in ire, mimicking her efforts.

"Why isn't it working?" Serah asked, her voice breaking in grief. She didn't know what was going on, but she never recalled seeing so much blood in all her life. It was somehow linked to Lightning, and the thought of her sister with that much blood spilling from her body made her want to faint.

"There's an obstruction." Questra blinked and slammed his fist into the armrest. He was going to kill his sister for this.

"You mean something inside?" Snow scratched his head. "Take it out."

Fang grunted. The healing helped dim the pain and kept her awake, but it did nothing to close the wound and stop the blood from dripping out. She was going to bleed to death at this rate. "We can't, we don't know where she is."

Questra sighed in irritation. "Just keep trying to close it until I figure out what to do," he snapped.

Vanille shook her head, trying to wave off her migraine. She flinched when Questra grabbed her hand and she felt a tingling sensation in her mind. The nausea and headache faded and she sighed in relief. She slapped his hand away and ignored the haughty laugh. She hated him.

XXXXXX

Solistaria sat in her chair, studying the wound on Lightning's stomach in perverse fascination. The hilt of the dagger was protruding from her flesh, the table was filled with blood, but Lightning's heart still did not stop beating. She sighed heavily. She saw the edges of the wound trying to close around the blade, only to cut open again, fresh and anew.

"Questra," she muttered. "Why do you prolong the inevitable?" She huffed in annoyance; he really was no different than Doriel.

"Maybe I just need to snap your little neck," Solistaria whispered after a moment. She stepped around the table, wrapping her hands around the soldier's neck. She took a moment to caress the soft skin. "So pretty, I would have enjoyed keeping you." She tightened her grip, ready to twist.

The room violently shook around her and she withdrew her hands, unnerved and surprised. She gulped; that was unusual. She glanced down at Lightning, seeing the soft features knitted in pain, and she raised her hands to the pale neck, intent on killing her. The table rattled with a violent, unseen force, and Lightning vanished from beneath her fingertips.

Solistaria's eyes widened and she let out a shriek at the abrupt disappearance. She palmed the empty table in disbelief. "Where did you go?"

XXXXXX

Lightning phased into consciousness, caught between a blur and focus. Her hands, her body came into clarity, her mind expanded and withdrew; fleeting moments of awareness, and then there was nothing. It was just her and complete darkness. Her feet told her she was standing on solid ground but her eyes said she was floating. It was true blackness, save for her own image.

"Lightning," a soft voice firmly spoke.

She sharply turned her head, looking around, and saw nothing. She followed the direction of the voice, but it was everywhere, resounding, in her head?

"Time to wake up."

She struggled to move her heavy limbs through the void, it seemed endless. Where should she go? Lightning twisted her body and groaned when a sharp pain stabbed through her stomach.

"What is going on? Who are you?" Her voice sounded foreign to her ears and she cringed when it echoed. She felt the blackness around her swirl.

Lightning collapsed to the ground and she landed on her hands and knees. A hand reached out to her. She grasped it and was drawn to her feet. She studied the man standing before her, unsure of how to take his form. He was old, very old, given the folds and creases across his face and eyes. "Where am I?" She glanced around at the vast nothingness; was she dead?

"I apologize," the thin elderly man warmed at her. He raised his white eyebrows, "I brought you into my mind…insensitive old fool." He chuckled and gestured at himself and then over the landscape, toward the horizon. "Is this more familiar"?

Lightning gazed out from the calm face of the serene, wrinkly, old man and followed the motion of his arm. She saw green, rolling hills climb out from the darkness, along with a clear, blue sky. She shielded her eyes when a burning sun tore through the background, chasing away the remaining shadows.

Lightning arched an eyebrow and relaxed her shoulders, feeling calmness settle in her mind. She suddenly felt safe. She shouldn't. She should be on alert. She took a moment to study his form again; straw hat and blue overalls. She went with her instincts, there was no fight here.

She looked into his eyes. The ancient and wise glare overwhelmed her. She puzzled next to him. "Where am I?"

"Neither here nor there, actually," he hummed, reaching into his front pocket to pull out a piece of straw. He brought it to his mouth and began to chew on the end.

Lightning winced and glanced down, rubbing her stomach. _Hurts. _Her blue eyes glinted and she growled. _Solistaria. _She turned to him and he nodded solemnly, as if sensing her recollection.

"Am I dead?"

He wobbled his head, to and fro, and Lightning arched an eyebrow at the indolent movement. "I take it - that means _no_?"

He chuckled, deep in his belly, and his eyes twinkled. Lightning rubbed her forehead; he was ancient all right, _ready to push up daisies._

"I heard that," he replied. He began to walk through the hills and he heard a soft sigh behind him. "Let's have a chat," he requested, knowing she would hear him.

Lightning followed after him, begging patience. She needed to go, needed to find Fang. She gripped her stomach again. "What the hell is going on?"

He stopped near a rock and grunted when he bent his back to sit down. Lightning stood in front of him, hands on her hips, and waited. He raised his eyes and laughed at her stubborn thoughts.

"You're not very patient," he commented, chucking the straw out of his mouth and reaching into his pocket for another one.

Lightning shifted her leg and studied the scenery around her. She idly palmed her stomach again and she heard him laugh. "Is there something funny about this?"

He shook his head and his laughter died. He glared at her stomach and then back up to her face. "There's nothing funny about any of this."

Lightning scoffed in agreement. "Why did you bring me here? Who are you?"

He grabbed his straw hat and fanned himself. "I have many names, it doesn't matter," he grumpily mumbled. He let out a loud yawn and stretched his frail limbs. Lightning tilted her head when he grabbed another straw out of his pocket. "I brought you here to warn you."

Lightning crossed her arms and her muscles tensed, disliking the words. "Warn me?" she echoed.

He ignored the question and scratched his forehead. Another yawn ripped from his mouth. "Have you ever been woken up from a nice, long nap?"

Lightning flinched at the question. "What does that have to do with anything?" She paused and wondered if he was simply a _senile old man_.

He bellowed in laughter and his soft brown eyes transformed to a glowing white, blinding and ominous. Lightning took a step back in surprise. "There's nothing senile about me, little one." The man grabbed his blue overalls and toyed with the fabric. "I chose this form, it suits me, but that's all it is."

The soldier crossed her arms and rubbed her forehead. "This is getting out of hand," she mumbled. She studied his eyes again. "Another God?" She snorted. "How many of you are there?"

He smiled at her frustration. "Too many, I suppose." He continued to noisily chew his straw and his eyes drooped. "Have you ever been woken up from a nap?" he asked again.

Lightning scowled. "Yes," she snapped. She paused, remembering a time, so long ago it seemed, when she took it upon herself to support Serah. Working double shifts, the physical and mental exhaustion of training, making sure there was money for food and clothes; every minute of sleep was a precious gift. She nodded again and softened her tone. "Yes, I've been woken up from naps." She met his eyes.

He smiled, reading her memories. "It's not pleasant."

Lightning nodded in agreement and decided this was, by far, the strangest conversation she'd ever had. "No, it isn't."

"Do you know how long I've been asleep?" he innocently asked, rubbing his eyes.

She titled her head and smirked; he was dead serious. She shrugged and knitted her brows in mock concentration. "Too many years to count…" she guessed.

"I've seen this universe destroyed and recreated thousands and thousands of times," he dryly responded. "You can imagine how it feels, I'm sure?"

Lightning raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "I realize that Gods are old, I didn't think they were that old," she admitted.

"No, they are not," he answered. "I'm an ancient; there are only a few of us left." He rolled his shoulders and let out a satisfied groan when it popped. "Most likely asleep…" He pondered for a moment, as if considering the possibility.

The soldier mulled over the new information; why didn't this come in a nice, packaged little book? She studied the landscape and sighed. She wasn't getting out of this place until he said she could. She was getting sick of being so helpless around all these _higher beings_. She turned to him and wasn't surprised to see he was watching her, looking charmed with her internal rant.

"What about Questra, Solistaria, Doriel? Are they ancient?" Lightning asked, ignoring his amused expression.

He scowled at the names and his eye flashed white again; bright and angry. Lightning resisted the reflex to squint her eyes at the sight. "They are infants," he grumbled. "Juvenile! Like little children pounding across the wooden floors and all I want to do is sleep!" He jammed his hand into his pocket and pulled out another straw. "How can anyone sleep with all that noise?" He stiffly crossed his arms and gave her a pointed look. "Hell beasts, non-stop seismic activity, magic being flung around carelessly," he complained. "Also," he raised an eyebrow as Lightning continued to stare at him, slack jawed at his tirade, "tell Fang she's not much better. She may as well be rattling pots and pans next to my head."

Lightning paced around the grass, unsure if she should laugh at him or be alarmed. "Why don't you stop them?" She raised an eyebrow; if he was that ancient and powerful, maybe he could put an end to everything and she could go back to living her somewhat, normal life. "Stop all three of them so you can go back to sleep."

He shook his head and removed his straw hat from his head, ruffling his thin, white hair. "You don't want my interference," he cautioned, "I long for the silence, nothing else."

Lightning stopped and studied his face. His elderly, soft voice no longer matched his appearance. It was loud, deep, reverberating and she wondered what he truly looked like.

"So, you're not going to help? That's what you're saying?" She rubbed her forehead and tried to make sense of the conversation, losing what little patience she had left. "Why the hell not?"

He titled his head and smiled warmly, reading her distress. "I only want to sleep, little one. I have no interest in wreaking havoc and mayhem." His eyes twinkled in youthful delight, starkly in contrast with his weathered face.

Lightning's eyes narrowed and she studied him, a little dumbfounded. "Who are you?" she asked again.

"If you need a name, you can pick and choose." He smiled and dipped his head. "I do prefer Malandro, though." He reclined against the rock and placed his straw hat over his eyes.

At the introduction, Lightning felt a soft wind pick up around the landscape, tousling her pink hair. "Why am I here, what do you want?"

"I want you to put an end to all of this, so I can go back to sleep." He propped his foot against his knee and let out a loud yawn. "So sleepy," he mumbled, slowly nibbling on the tip of the straw.

"How? I can barely keep myself alive," Lightning clipped. She waited and rolled her eyes, gently nudging his foot when she heard soft snoring.

"Mmm?" He rubbed his eyes and yawned. "Oh, yes, come here." Malandro sat up and patted the ground next to him. "Sit, please."

Lightning tilted her head and glared at him, suspicious of his motives. "Why?"

"So I can restore balance to this situation," he retorted, a little irked by her mulishness. "You are Fang's bond mate. If you die she will die. Or do you enjoy being stabbed and thrown around by childish Gods?"

Lightning bent down and sat next to him, rolling her eyes when he offered her a straw out of his pocket. She raised an eyebrow and put it in her mouth, ignoring his satisfied smile.

"Chew it slowly, you'll find it relaxing." Malandro grabbed her hand and closed his eyes. Lightning winced, feeling warm chills run through her arm and she resisted the urge to pull her hand back.

"Will this hurt?" The soldier closed her eyes, the memory of what she felt back in Questra's cell still sharp and tender in her mind.

Malandro patted her hand, trying to comfort her. "It took Questra nine hundred years to bestow Fang with her powers…" He turned to her, his eyes chalky and vivid. "It will take me but a fleeting moment." He stopped and gave her an honest look. "Yes, it will hurt."

Lightning shifted her legs and chewed on the straw, a thoughtful expression on her face. "All right."

"I'm happy to hear that, maybe I'll finally have some peace and quiet after all." Malandro closed his eyes and Lightning waited, seeing the darkness emerge through the landscape and overtake her.

XXXXXX

It took me nineteen chapters to address the title of this story, geez.

Feedback is appreciated, and thank you to everyone that has taken the time to read and review, it's great. :)


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